Trust me
by leeniejs
Summary: "Do you want to know how you kill someone?" He asked. "You tell someone you love them and never speak to them again." A girl from our world finds herself in the Naruto universe. How will her life continue after she has feelings for Kakashi? romance, sprinklings of angst, drama and just a dash of hurt/comfort. OC does not become a ninja. No Mary sue. shippuden time. minimal spoilers
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers. It should interest you to know that I never post a story unless it is already completely written out and finished. So you can read with confidence knowing that this story will not be abandoned. I will be posting new chapters once they have been checked for errors.

This is a Kakashi/OC romance as in character as possible. It is a slow burn with plenty of drama. There is no Mary sue here and the OC will not become a ninja. This is strictly a romance fic so there will be no fighting in this story. The rating my go up in the later chapters. Please enjoy and review!

-leeniejs

Chapter 1

Kakashi was a man on a mission. Granted that mission would be over in a few minutes when he crossed into the gates of Konoha. The mission had been a boring one. Deliver a scroll. The only reason a jonin such as himself would be sent on a simple courier mission was due to the fact that the scroll contained sensitive information as necessary correspondence between the Hokage and the Kazekage.

Ever alert, he caught a glimpse of something wholly unexpected nearly a mile away from Konoha. A person sitting in the shade of a tree, conscious but seemingly confused. He perched himself on a branch, taking in the scene before him. Experience told him that something out of place should be approached with caution. He sat and observed the woman on the ground.

She was the very definition of out of place. She was a mile away from the closest civilization and she was entirely unprepared for the environment around her. A baggy tee shirt hung from her lanky frame, falling over equally baggy sweat pants. Her chocolate brown hair fell loosely around her shoulders, barely touching the bottom of her shoulder blades. He legs stuck out in front of her as she sat up and looked around. Her bare feet stuck out of her sweat pants and there was no sign of any supplies or extra clothes around anywhere. She looked entirely confused and helpless.

He checked quickly to see if the vision before him was not in fact a genjutsu. Surprisingly, it was not. Casting his senses out, he could sense no one near them. It also seemed as if the woman was nothing more that a civilian. The information at hand begged the question: why was a civilian woman wandering around in the woods completely unprepared? Kakashi couldn't answer the question with the information he had. Looking for more details, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed completely unmarred. She wasn't dirty or covered in the fall leaves as he would assume of one wandering about in the woods. The bottoms of her feet were scrubbed clean as if she had just set foot outside of the shower.

He could speculate all day but he knew his questions would be answered only if he bothered to ask them. Remaining wary, he jumped down to make his presence known.

His entrance had an effect immediately. She jumped at his sudden appearance. She blinked looking more confused as she stared at him. He raised a hand in a casual greeting.

"Yo."

She stared at him for a good five seconds before she let out a short laugh and stood from her spot on the ground.

"Alright, alright this is obviously some kind of joke. I don't know who put you up to this but you can stop now." Her laughter had not died from her face when she looked up at him again. Kakashi couldn't see the humor in the situation.

"What is it that you think is a joke?"

"All of this of course. Some one kidnapped me out of my home brought me to the woods and had you dress up like one of my favorite characters, though how or why they did that I still don't know." Did she just refer to him as a character? Maybe the reason she was out here was because she had lost her mind.

"Who do you think I am?" He asked curiously.

"Well I don't know who you really are but you are dressed as Kakashi Hatake." It seemed she did know who he was. He didn't know why she thought he was only pretending to be himself though.

"Who are you?"

"Emma Steele. If you could just point me towards my house I would like to get back to my day off."

"Where do you live?"

"Probably in the closest town. I doubt someone would take me across the country just for a joke."

"The closest village is Konoha about a mile that way." He pointed to his left. She seemed harmless enough. He didn't see the harm in pointing out civilization to her. Any ninja worth their salt would be able to navigate a map if they intended to attack or invade his home. She sighed at his answer.

"Look that joke has run its course. There is no such thing as Konoha or Kakashi Hatake. It's just a story." She spoke with a wavering patience, confused about why he was sticking to what she thought was a lie.

"I can assure you I am very real." She frowned at him and sighed again.

"Fine." She turned and walked off in the direction he pointed earlier.

"Where are you going?" He walked along after her.

"Towards town obviously. Since you aren't going to be of any help." She whispered the last bit to herself but he caught it all the same.

"Your feet will freeze by the time you get there. Not to mention you are likely to be bitten by snakes around here." She paused and stared at the wet ground. Her feet were already wet. She was already lucky that she had been laying on a dry piece of ground when she woke up here but now that she looked around she could see the majority of the ground was drenched in water and leaves. Unfortunately for her it seemed he was right.

"Well then what do you think I should do?" She looked to him at her question.

"I'll take you to town and to someone that can help you." He didn't feel the need to antagonize her with details she thought were false. He needed to take her to Tsunade. Both because she was a foreign visitor and Tsunade should be able to help the younger woman with her obvious metal issues.

She quirked an eyebrow at him in question. Wordlessly, he stepped forward and crouched down waiting for her to climb on his back.

"You have to be kidding." He motioned his fingers at her in a silent reply. She huffed and resigned herself to the best way of getting to town. She stepped forward, placing her legs on either side of him and her hands on his shoulders. He stood, grabbing her thighs and hefting her onto his back easily. She wrapped her hands around his neck and tilted her head to the side to look ahead of them. She was lighter than he had assumed. Her baggy clothing made her look heavier.

"Hold on tight." She rolled her eyes only for her lids to open wide in a look of shock as he jumped into the trees and took off. Her grip slipped from his neck and she barely caught his shoulders before she threw her arms around him again. This time her fingers curled themselves underneath his vest, in a vice like grip. Her eyes very nearly left the safety of their sockets as she watched the world pass by in a blaze of browns and greens. Traveling at such a pace they reached the gate in no time. He stopped at the check in desk and felt her hands slip from around his neck when he placed her feet on the floor.

"Hey Kakashi. Who do you have with you?" Izumo said.

"Just a civilian I found in the woods." He signed the roster as he answered.

"She needs to sign too." Kakashi turned to look at her. Her eyes were busy taking in every detail of the village in front of her, occasionally flicking back to the Hokage monument.

"Emma." She tore her gaze away from the village to stare at him in disbelief. "You need to sign your name." She stepped up to the roster and wrote her name on the next line.

Emma was still staring at him when he bent down again. She climbed onto his back without complaint and held on tight once again. He took to the rooftops heading straight for the Hokage tower. His personal preference of dropping in to her office through the window was made more difficult with his companion in tow. Resigning himself to the stairs, he climbed them and stopped in front of the door to the Hokage's office. Setting Emma on her feet, he knocked and waited.

"Enter." He opened the door and motioned her inside. She walked inside hesitantly. He followed and shut the door behind him.

"It seems something unexpected happened on your mission, Kakashi. Care to explain?" Tsunade spoke, barely glancing up from a scroll she was writing on.

"My mission was completed. On my way back I found this woman a mile away from Konoha. I couldn't see any tracks, supplies or any indication of enemy involvement. She seems very confused. She seemed to think that Konoha and myself were nothing more than a work of fiction."

Tsunade looked up at the young woman. She could see why Kakashi was concerned. She was very much out of place and she had some explaining to do if they were to understand the situation at hand. She set her pen down in favor of focusing her attention on the woman before her.

"Who are you?"

"Emma Steele." She answered.

"Why are you here?"

"I don't know." She looked shaken and uncomfortable. Expert eyes raked her form as Tsunade questioned her further.

"Do you know where you are?" Emma looked flustered and confused again. She could only bring herself to reply in a tiny and nervous voice. She wasn't sure of her answer any more.

"Konoha?" It sounded more like a question than an answer.

"You are right. This is Konoha." Tsunade said rather patiently.

"I don't understand. This isn't some joke?"

"She has said that before. She doesn't seem to understand why she is here." Kakashi informed her.

"What exactly don't you understand?" Tsunade questioned, her honeyed eyes pinning the young woman where she stood.

"Where I am from this world, your world is nothing but a story. It's all just a work of fiction. I know about this world because it's one of my favorite shows to watch."

"Can you provide some sort of proof of your story?" Tsunade regarded the young woman skeptically. She bit her lip and cast her mind out for some fact that could prove she was telling the truth.

"Itachi Uchiha was never a traitor. He was ordered to kill his clan. He did everything to protect the village and his younger brother. He is the most self less and loyal shinobi Konoha may ever see. This all became apparent to everyone after his death." She stopped when Tsunade's eyebrows jumped up towards her hair line. "He's... not dead yet is he?"

'Shit' she thought.

"That is something that only select few know about. I hope we can trust you not to go around blabbing secrets to everyone." She quickly nodded.

"So what shall we do with you? We can't have anyone knowing that someone has valuable information on this world. Frankly, I don't want to know anything you know. Knowledge may be power but I fear the knowledge you have may be too much for this world to handle. We will just have to hide you in the village until we can return you to your home. I will push some paperwork through to confirm your citizenship. Keep those secrets to yourself. We can reconvene tomorrow at 10 am for the details. Kakashi." He stepped forward as she addressed him.

"You will be watching over this girl until further notice. You already know her secret and the importance of protecting her. Keep her out of sight until we can create a story and paper work to back it. And I still expect a scroll on my desk detailing your mission."

"Hai." He answered.

"Dismissed."

They both walked out of the Hokage's office and into the hall way.

"So, now what?" Emma asked.

"We keep you out of sight till Tsunade-sama comes up with the paperwork to explain why you are here."

"Where does one go to avoid everyone in Konoha?"

"We are going to my place." He answered.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Naruto or any of the characters. I only own Emma.

It made sense. A recluse like Kakashi would undoubtedly take care to remain undisturbed in his home. Still, she couldn't help feeling nervous. A young woman completely alone with a man in his home, she wasn't comfortable with that situation at all. She took comfort in the fact that she knew this man, somewhat. She knew that she would be safe around Kakashi. She was sure no harm would come to her in his care. Though, logic rarely stopped feelings from surfacing. She nodded to him and once again she climbed onto his back. She took care to hold on tight as she watched the village pass by. They soon came to an apartment complex. Skipping the stairs, they landed on the second floor balcony leading to two apartments. Kakashi set Emma down and opened the door on the left with a key he took from his vest. He stepped inside and closed the door after she followed him.

She assumed he would live in some sort of run down, weather worn, bachelor pad with barely enough space to be called an apartment. She was surprised to find a well maintained living space. It was stable and closed off from the elements. Currently she was standing in a large room that was divided by a half wall, marking the end of the living room and the beginning of the kitchen/dining room. In front of her she could see a hall way that undoubtedly lead to the bedroom and bathroom.

Kakashi walked past her and into the kitchen. Not wanting to feel awkward lingering at the door, she followed him and invited herself to sit at the table. She observed him as he stared into the refrigerator briefly before he started to go through his cabinets. She couldn't stop herself from letting out a small giggle. He looked around at her. She made a lousy attempt to force the smile from her face and she averted her eyes much too late.

"What's funny?"

"My preconceptions of you are changing by the second. It's strange to see you as a regular person I guess." Her brow furrowed in contemplation.

"What sort of preconceptions have you had about me up until this point?"

"More than you probably care to hear."

"There is another assumption you have made about me."

"I suppose you are right about that." She paused. "I'm not sure where to start. The show isn't specifically about you but it does go into detail about your past."

"Hmm." Kakashi indicated he was listening but he was also curious about what she knew. His friends knew about his past mainly because they were there to witness or hear about it. He never shared much with his team. He could never forget his past but he didn't want to bring it up either. He mindlessly brought out two containers of cup ramen and began heating water.

"I don't want to bring up a sore subject." It seemed she did know a thing or two about his past.

"Seeing as we will be spending a lot of time together I think it might be easier to clear the air now rather than later, don't you think?"

"You have seen so much death, your family and your whole team but you still survived. It makes you seem so incredibly inhuman and untouchable that to see you doing something so simple as looking for food," She shook her head. "It's just eye opening I suppose." Kakashi poured the water over the noodles in silence. He grabbed both cups and two pair of chop sticks.

"It seems you do know a lot about me." He sat down at the table, depositing her dinner in front of her.

"I know about what happened to you. I don't really know who you are as a person. I guess that is part of what makes you seem so inhuman." She grimaced slightly. "I'm sorry about earlier. You were only trying to help me and I was being rude."

"Considering you thought you were part of an elaborate kidnapping and practical joke, I think we can let it go." She smiled at him.

"When you first jumped up into the trees carrying me, I honestly thought I had gone completely mad." He gave her an eye crinkling smile.

"Tell me about yourself." She blinked and furrowed her eyebrows as she thought. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know. I think it's only fair when you know so much about me." She considered him for a moment as he tore off the top of his ramen cup. She followed suit with a shrug.

"I don't talk about myself much." She stared down at her ramen cup, not looking up at him. "But you are right. It's only fair." She let out another breath and stirred her noodles. "I live alone. Both of my parents are dead. My mother died when I was 5. I don't really remember her. After she died I was left with my father and he died a few years ago. I work as a secretary for a small legal office. All I do is push paperwork all day. When I'm not working I like to read or watch a few of my favorite shows. There really isn't much else to tell."

"What about your friends?" He asked from behind his book.

"I don't have any. I'm too much of an introvert I guess. My boss is the only person I really communicate with. I have talked to you more today that I have with her in a month."

"That seems surprsising."

"It's not everyday you get to meet a fictional character." She half laughed.

"One of your favorites if I remember correctly." She could hear the words coming though a smile.

"Did I say that?"

"It was one of the first things you said back in the forest."

"I guess you're right."

"Why is it you like me so much?" She chanced a glance up at him. His chop sticks were still poised over his dinner and his book remained over his face. She looked back down thinking on his words. It was a strange way to word the question. Then again, this was a strange situation.

"Through all the terrible things that happened in your life you still persevered though. You were so incredibly strong to be able to get through everything that happened to you. I envy that about you. I thought of us as similar in the aspect that neither of us had parents anymore."

"You had your father much longer than I had either of my parents." She made a small sound of acknowledgement into the cup before her. He looked at her briefly. Her eyes were turned downward wistfully. She was far too easy to read especially for someone used to looking underneath the underneath. "He wasn't there though, was he?" Her jaw locked up and her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She soon gathered her wits and remembered who she was talking to. Kakashi was probably the most perceptive person she would ever meet. There was no doubt that he would be able to know things about her that she didn't tell him. She also felt the need to divulge a few secrets about herself to the man before her. She had never had the opportunity before. Now, in a new world, with a person that would both be able to understand her and keep her secrets. She couldn't help but answer him. There was something freeing about telling a complete stranger all of your problems, knowing that the divulged secrets would never come back to haunt you.

"No. He wasn't. When my mother died he turned to alcohol in her absence. I was always thankful that he wasn't an angry drunk. He was always so blank. He just stopped being there mentally and emotionally. I had to grow up quickly so I could take care of him and myself. When I wasn't at school I was busy at home keeping the house clean. He still managed to go to work to make money. But after I turned ten I started to take up more responsibilities. I made sure the bills were sent out each month and I went out shopping, making sure there was always food in the house. It taught me a lot of things. I learned to rely on myself. I'm good with house work and organizing. I excel at mundane things like paperwork and calculations. I just had minimal interactions with other humans. That's why I love books so much. It keeps my mind busy and I don't have to talk to any one." She heaved a large sigh. "You are the first person I have told all of that to." He smiled at her.

"Probably because I'm just a fictional character that you like so much." She let out a hearty laugh. The cloud that seemed to loom over her dissipated instantly. She spoke through a smile.

"You are probably right." She blinked a few times and let out a large yawn.

"It's getting late. We should turn in for the night. You can take the bed. I will sleep on the couch." He disposed of their dinner in the trash.

"No, no, no. I will sleep on the couch. I'm not forcing you out of your own bed just for my sake."

"You will sleep easier in bed. I don't mind taking the couch." She sent him a glare and stood up. Taking that as a sign of surrender Kakashi started down the hall way only to realize she wasn't following. He heard a muffled thump and looked around to see her sitting on the couch, glaring at him in defiance. She was being stubborn, he would have to show her that he could be far more stubborn than herself.

"Emma, I'm sure you realize I can force you into that bed. So we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Something flashed in her eyes briefly. A rebellious bottom lip stuck out slightly before she smirked at him.

"Kakashi, are you really the type of man to force a woman into your bed when she so obviously doesn't want to go?" Her words may have been a double entendre but it only served to drive her point home. He shot her a glare before he continued down the hall to his bed room. He grabbed an extra pillow and a blanket and headed back to the couch. Handing them over he turned as she began to unfold the blanket and get comfortable. She seemed victorious and content. She may have won the battle but she had not yet won the war. She was stubborn but he was patient.

"Goodnight Kakashi."

"Night Emma."

He proceeded to his bedroom after flicking off the lights and began to divest himself of his mission attire. He cracked his neck after his weapons were put down and quickly unwrapped the bandages around his leg. He changed his mask and switched his standard jonin shirt and pants for a sleeveless shirt and baggy pants. Thinking he had wasted enough time, he padded soundlessly down the hall and peered over at his house guest. He was pleased to see her sleeping peacefully. Walking over to her, he pulled off the blanket and slipped his arms underneath her. She rest her head against his chest, making a soft sound of contentment, as he carried her down the hall to bed. He laid her softly under the covers and flipped the sheets over her. She rolled over and sighed as she sunk deep under the covers. Smiling to himself, Kakashi closed the door as he left. Feeling victorious, he laid down on the couch and drifted off to sleep.

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I hope you love this story as much as I loved writing it. Please review! It is wonderful to hear feedback about my stories. Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

Update: Someone pointed out that their were grammar mistakes in this chapter. I have gone back and fixed the ones that I saw. Thanks to my guest reviewer for noticing my mistakes. I hope I have fixed the mistakes you noticed.

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I am excitedly posting the third chapter for the two people that have already added this story to their alerts.

BatBabe66

backoff13

The news that you hope to read more of my story is wonderful for my ambition to continue to post this. Thank you!

I do not own Naruto.

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Emma woke up slowly. Her bladder was screaming at her to get up but the covers were so warm she didn't want to go anywhere. A small part of her mind nagged at her that something wasn't quite right. Pondering it for a moment as she ignored the urge to pee, memories of last night returned and she awakened fully. Opening her eyes she looked at the red sheets she was laying on that were, quite obviously, an indication that she was not on the couch. No longer content to remain in the warmth of the sheets, she flipped the covers back and took care of the first order of business: the bathroom. Managing to be silent while in the house of a ninja was a feat she wasn't sure she possessed. She chalked it up to the sound of the heater muffling her foot steps. Now that she had relieved herself and she was confident that Kakashi was still asleep, due to the sound of his light snoring, she stubbornly headed back to the bedroom not wanting to wake him. She was wide awake with nothing to pass the time with. She sat on the bed still irritated with the man currently on the couch. Her eyes roved over the room. It was a complete mess. She absent-mindedly picked up a shirt on the floor and threw it into a laundry basket, silently cursing Kakashi. Feeling slightly better she did it again. Before she realized it she was cleaning and organizing Kakashi's room as she worked out the frustration of losing against him.

Kakashi's keen ears picked up the sounds of soft mutterings and rustles from down the hall. Stopping briefly in the bathroom himself he opened the door to see Emma sitting on the floor, dresser to her right and a pile of his pants to her left. She was finished folding a pair of pants and shoved it roughly but neatly into a drawer, muttering a soft expletive in the process. He walked up behind her not failing to notice that his entire room had been organized.

"What are you doing?" She gasped and jumped. Her torso swiveled around to look up at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I had nothing to do and I didn't want to wake you. When I get upset I just clean. I didn't really mean to go through your things. I'm sorry." She winced sightly. She looked nervous as she waited for his reaction.

He looked around, taking stock of everything in minute detail. It seemed as if everything now had a place to belong and everything was in it's place. He pulled open the top drawer to observe it's contents. His eye brows shot upwards.

"You folded my underwear?" He didn't recall a time he had ever folded his underwear.

"Uh..." A blush appeared on her cheeks and darkened as he looked at her questioningly. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I have never seen this place so clean. I might actually be able to find things now."

"You can't find things in your own apartment?" He grinned sheepishly down at her. She looked at him curiously.

"Is that one of the reasons you are late all the time?"

"Not always." She hummed in response as she finished putting away the last of his clothes.

"Can we eat breakfast now?" He nodded silently. She sat down in the kitchen as he poured them both some cereal. He opened the carton of milk, sniffing it briefly before he deemed it consumable. She attempted to stifle a giggle again when she thought back to Naruto's expired milk incident.

"You are laughing at me again."

"I would be laughing with you but I don't recall you laughing much."

"I laugh."

"Either way it's not about you and it's not important." They ate their breakfast in comfortable silence. When the bowls were in the sink Kakashi broke the silence.

"You can shower first." Looking down at herself she realized her clothes were still dirty from her brief excursion in the forest and she herself was probably not far behind in terms of sanitation. Seeming to sense her next thought Kakashi spoke again.

"I lend you a set of my clothes." She followed him down the hall to his bedroom where he stood looking around his room, suddenly unsure. He had only kept his clothes in two places prior to today. Either they were in a dirty pile on the floor or a clean pile on the floor. Admittedly the dirty pile was not limited to one small area so much as the rest of his room but he always kept it separate from the clean pile. She watched him struggle for a few seconds before taking pity on him.

"Weapons, masks, shirts, shoes and your hitai-ate are in the closet. Underwear, socks and pants are in your dresser." He pulled out a shirt and a pair of pants to hand to her. She thanked him and left for the bathroom. He gathered up a complete set of clothes for himself and passed the time reading Icha Icha Tactics.

Emma was disappointed but not surprised to find only one bottle in his shower. It was a basic man's product advertising its multi-purpose of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. She wasn't one for vanity and she certainly wasn't a woman that needed dozens of products in her own bathroom but she still felt that shampoo, conditioner and body wash belonged in separate bottles. She snorted to herself as she scrubbed her hair, thinking that soon men would find a way to use the same product for toothpaste. Feeling satisfied that she was clean, though smelling very manly in the process, she shut off the water and toweled herself dry. She pulled on her bra and underwear again, slightly disappointed that she wouldn't be completely clean now. Pulling on the borrowed clothes, she was surprised to see that they fit better than she expected. The waist was still a little larger on the pants and the cuffs on the pants covered the top of her feet. She was only a few inches shorter than Kakashi, it seemed. At least her hands were not trapped inside of his sleeves like a child wearing adult clothing. She rolled up the pant legs a few times so she wouldn't step on them and did the same with the long sleeves of the shirt till she could see her wrists. She walked out and laid on the couch sure that he would have heard her and continued with his own shower. Either way she was sure that nothing could rush the perpetually tardy Kakashi Hatake.

She let her mind wander as she waited for him to emerge. She was busy wondering if he owned any clothing that was not standard joinin blue when he walked out fully dressed.

"Have we wasted enough time for your standard?"

"I can always waste more time."

"Those must be the words you live by everyday."

He proceeded out the door and waited for her to catch up. She closed the door behind him and saw him waiting for her to climb on his back again. She didn't argue as he held her up and jumped from roof to roof.

"I'm beginning to wonder if I am ever going to walk anywhere in this village." She mused more to herself than to him.

He didn't answer. They arrived quickly at Tsunade's office. Upon hearing her summons from the other side of the door they walked in.

"Kakashi, you are only an hour late. If I had known protection detail would suit you so well I would have thought of it a long time ago. Where is the mission scroll I asked for?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"My current mission kept me rather busy." He felt a glare upon the left side of his face from the personification of his current mission. Tsunade ignored his words, sure that she wasn't going to get anywhere.

"I have made remarkable progress since last night. I sent a letter to the Kazekage and he has agreed to set up a paper trail confirming that you were a citizen of Suna until you decided to move here. I will leave the majority of the story up to you but that is the basic background we have made for you. I did have to inform him of your situation here and he has agreed that the secrets you posses should be kept hidden." She nodded.

"I have sent a message to Jiraya as well he should be here within the week to see if there is any way to send you back home."

"Do I have to go back?"

"It would be best if this world continued on whatever path it has already been set on. Your interference may have incredibly detrimental effects." Tsunade's voice softened as she regarded the woman in front of her. "I don't know the extent of your knowledge of this world. But I do know that our enemies would do anything to posses that information. It will be safer for you if you were returned home." Emma knew she was right deep down. She knew what shinobi were like in this world. Countless hours she had spent absorbing the fictional story, only dreaming of being a part of it. Now that she was, they were forcing her to leave. Her glazed eyes met the floor.

"I understand." No one missed the sadness in her voice.

"Do you not want to return home?"

"No. There is nothing there for me to return to. Coming here is the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I'm sorry but if there is a way to return you to your world then that is what we must do. You will be staying here under the guise of a traveling citizen. I have approved a budget for you for about a month. I expect you to find an apartment and furnishings. You can buy essentials for home life and clothing since you seem to be lacking immensely. Lastly, there should be enough money to feed you for that month. If your stay happens to be longer than that time frame then I will expect you to earn your own way in this world. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Tsunade nodded and reached into a desk drawer to pull out a rather large stack of bills.

"Kakashi, you will be watching over Emma until she returns to her own world. This is an official mission and should be treated with the utmost secrecy. No one is to know the truth. Both of you are dismissed."

They both left the Hokage's office.

"I suppose I should buy clothes first. I don't want everyone questioning my choice in clothing, especially when I am trying to find an apartment." Kakashi walked down the stairs and lead her to the market place in silence. Not a full minute of silence passed before she spoke up.

"Kakashi, can you hold onto this for me?" She held out the large stack of bills from Tsunade.

"There are pockets in those pants."

"I know that. But it's too heavy and it's weighing the pants down." His eye trailed down to her waist where she was attempting to keep the loose pants in place with her left hand on the hem. His eye roved over her rotating hips as they kept walking. The right side, that was not being held up, sagged down her hips to reveal a teasing view of creamy skin. If he wasn't mistaken he also saw a piece of black fabric gripping her hips much tighter than the pants she was wearing. He grabbed the money from her and placed it in his hip pouch. Her right hand returned to the rebellious hem line to tug it back in place.

They stopped at a clothing store for women. Emma flitted around a few racks pulling clothes down. Kakashi tried his best to not look awkward as he hovered at the door. He chose the lesser of two evils when he stood by the door. He didn't want to follow her around the clothing racks like a lost puppy and be forced into giving his opinion on her clothing. Sooner than he expected she walked up to him asking for her money. He handed over her large stack of money. He watched her as the young girl looked over at himself and chatted with Emma. He focused on the pair when he noticed Emma blush at something the cashier said. She sent out a hasty reply as she continued to look flustered. The transaction was finished with a tense air and Emma left for the changing room once again. She emerged fully dressed and hastened him out the door with hardly a word.

It didn't take a genius to realize that the cashier upset her. He had a feeling that he had something to do with it. His curiosity got the better of him.

"What did she say to you?"

"What?" She kept walking and kept her gaze ahead of her to avoid looking at him.

"Something that girl said upset you. What was it?" She locked her jaw uncomfortably tight as she fought back whatever emotion rose within her. She couldn't stop the blush that appeared on her face.

"Nothing." She forced out her reply. Kakashi stepped in front of her forcing her to stop and look at him.

"You aren't very good at lying." She avoided his eyes and when she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

"She may have implied that you are a wealthy older man that was buying me things in exchange for differing levels of intimacy."

He blinked a few times, feeling his brow twitching. Her face took on very heavy blush. He let out a chuckle that surprised both of them.

"She thought I was your sugar daddy? Well she is wrong. I'm not nearly that old."

"Hey, I think the fact that she insinuated that I can be bought is more important than the insult to your age." Just like that her embarrassment was replaced with outrage. He looked thoughtful as he ignored her words. He found the situation equally funny and insulting. But the more he fussed over the situation the more she forgot her earlier embarrassment.

"What does that say about me though? Apparently I look old and unattractive enough to have to pay to have any sort of relationship." He heaved a small dramatic sigh.

"Well If you are looking for applicants to fill that position that girl would be more than happy to call you her sugar daddy."

"You wound me."

"I tried to tell you it was nothing. You brought this upon yourself. It's not my fault you have gray hair." She walked off along the path.

"My hair is silver not gray." She ignored him.

"What should we do next?"

"We can drop your things off at my place and look for an apartment next." She agreed readily and in no time she set her things on his couch. Walking back out her answer was immediately solved when she saw an apartment for rent sign in the window next to Kakashi's.

"Well that didn't take long. That should be convenient for you too since you won't have to travel far for your so-called mission." She spoke to the building manager briefly and signed the lease after handing over the deposit and rent in advance.

"It's already afternoon and I've gotten two big things done today." They headed back into town to grab a bite before continuing to settle her into the village. She smiled as they approached the familiar ramen stand. She sat down and looked it over. It looked just like she remembered but it was so much better seeing it for herself.

Their meal passed quickly and they were back to their search for a furniture store to fill her new apartment. She easily selected a queen size bed, a dresser, a table and a couch to be delivered to her new address. She happily handed over the money for her new furniture.

"Thank you. Your furniture will be delivered tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Are you sure you can't do it today?" She didn't want to give the man a hard time but she didn't want to overstay her welcome in Kakashi's home either.

"I'm sorry but we can't get to your delivery till after lunch tomorrow." She slumped slightly, dejected.

"That's alright. I will be waiting for it tomorrow. Thank you."

They headed back a few streets to the market. She intended to get the last few things she needed for her home tonight. She bought everything from a shower curtain to pots and pans. She made a point to buy herself some toiletries. She hadn't even brushed her teeth since arriving in this world.

Picking up the last of her things was the longest thing they did that day. By the time they were done the sun had started to set. They grabbed take out for dinner before proceeding home. They dropped her things off in her new apartment except for her toiletries and a few sets of clothes.

They were both tired from the days labors. Kakashi was more mentally exhausted than physically. He thought of shopping as something to be done when there was no other option. This maxim applied to food as well as anything else. Only after there wasn't a crumb left to be found and the take out containers were filling his garbage can did he finally give in and go grocery shopping.

She yawned a few times over her take out. Sitting behind a desk for years had her becoming lazy and out of shape. Not that she ever was in shape. She was always too busy sitting on the couch reading to ever consider working out. Therefore, a day of shopping had worn her out more than she had expected it would.

She told Kakashi that she would be in the bathroom washing up for the night. Though, she did have to say it to the book covering all but his right eye. He waved her off and she proceeded to the bathroom after grabbing her bag. She showered again. She didn't feel the need to do so just because she felt dirty and sweaty from the day but she did need to shave and use more than one product on her entire body for heaven sake. She toweled off and pulled on her night clothes. A deep green tee shirt and long shorts. She dutifully repacked her things after she brushed her teeth and returned to the living room.

Kakashi had taken advantage of her absence to change into his own night clothes and he was back at the table reading once again. She dropped her bag and flopped down to the couch exhausted. She welcomed the silence around her. She was too exhausted to lay her head on the pillow or pull the blanket around her. A few minutes of silence was all it took for her eyes to close and to drift asleep. She awoke grumpily to gentle nudges around herself. Opening her eyes blearily she realized Kakashi was lifting her off the couch. She let out a groan of discontent but she was far too gone to put up a real fight.

"Do you always have to get your way?" She said sleepily. He chuckled before laying her down in bed and throwing the covers over her. He chose not to answer as her eyes closed again and she fell asleep instantly.

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Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

I am ecstatic at the positive reviews and followers just days after posting this story. It is wonderful to see my hard work pay off. Thank you to all that reviewed/favorited/followed. You make it all worth while. It is the excitement in me that has caused me to want to review the chapters quicker and get the stories to you. Thank you all!

I do not own Naruto.

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She awoke early the next morning just as she always did. She was far from being an early bird but her internal clock wouldn't allow her to sleep when the sun had risen enough to shine through the windows and onto her face. She dressed herself and peeked around the corner at a sleeping Kakashi. Not wanting to wake him she attempted to step as lightly as possible to the door just past the couch. Skill and luck were not with her this morning.

"Where are you attempting to sneak off to so early?"

"I wanted to head over to my apartment to start washing and unpacking everything from yesterday. I didn't want to wake you, sorry."

"Now that I am awake we can eat breakfast then you can start on your apartment." He left for the bathroom and she busied herself with gathering bowls and spoons for their cereal. Kakashi came out fully dressed to see her already eating with a lonely bowl of cereal opposite her. He sat down and opened his book to hide his face as he ate. He thought nothing when he heard her pause between bites. He didn't bother to look up till she spoke.

"What is that book like?"

"I thought you knew everything about this world."

"I have seen the book often but I don't know about it's contents. It's one of the few things I never had the opportunity to know."

"It's a romance story."

"Half the truth is a whole lie Kakashi." He looked at her interestingly over the book that held so much attention. "It's more than just a romance story isn't it? It wouldn't be classified as adult material if it didn't have adult content. Is it a romance or is it just a smut book?"

"It's a little of both. There is still plot to it, unlike smut books."

"I think I will buy a copy next time I go into town." Kakashi's eyebrow raised imperceptibly.

"Is that the type of book you like to read?"

"Not always. I like romance, science fiction and fantasy as well."

"There aren't many people willing to admit they read books like these."

"Well it's not like I can lie to you anyway. I'm far too easy to read and you are too perceptive. With that combination I wouldn't be surprised if you could read my mind." She suddenly felt a little worried wondering if it was really possible for him to read her mind with the help of the sharingan.

"It's lucky for you I have no reason to read your mind." She shrugged, unsure how to respond. He stood to clean up their dishes. "Shall we head next door then?"

She spent the next few hours putting away her purchases as she waited for her clothes to wash and dry. Kakashi spent all his time leaning against the wall reading from his book. She enjoyed herself as she set up her new home. She whistled and hummed intermittently as she bounced from room to room. She entered the kitchen again and was surprised to hear Kakashi break the silence for the first time in two hours.

"Are you nearly finished?"

"Mostly, yes. I have to wait for my dresser to get here before I can put my clothes away. For now though i'm done."

"Good. We are heading for the training field next." A confused head cock silently asked him to expound upon the statement. "I have to attend a training session with my team. As my current mission is to keep you out of danger and to act normal you will have to accompany me to my normal activities so I can keep you out of danger."

"So you expect me to follow you around town where ever you please?" Her tone suggested condescension but her face looked thoughtful and confused. "How are you going to explain to your team the reason you brought a random civilian from Suna to your training session?"

Kakashi was still thinking on that. He had been for the last hour. Naruto would likely believe any excuse he told that seemed half way legitimate. Sai would no doubt question why he brought anyone to their training session. Sakura would probably see him with Emma and wonder if the two were dating.

"We could say that you just wanted to see how a shinobi fights. You can just pretend to be a curious civilian."

"It's not too far from the truth. I think that would work."

With that they headed out the door and towards the training grounds. With the training grounds in sight Emma was struck with a sense of nostalgia. She had never actually been here but it reminded her of the beginning of Naruto's journey. Suddenly spotting a vision of bright orange she had to hold back her emotions and knowledge. She was supposed to be a civilian from Suna. That meant she wasn't supposed to know anyone. She would have to remember that every time she spoke so she didn't accidentally let anything slip.

"Kakashi-sensei!" A very loud mouthed blond shouted to his former teacher.

"Naruto." Kakashi chose to reply with a simple greeting and a quick wave of his hand to all of them.

"Who do you have with you?" Naruto pointed to Emma as they approached.

"This is Emma. She just moved here from Suna." Emma sent a smile their way and a quick wave.

"Why is she here?" Naruto said while continuing to point, rather rudely, at the person in question.

"I've never seen a ninja fight before. I just wanted to see what it was like."

"Now that we are all here we can get started." Kakashi gave them all a eye crinkling smile. Naruto and Sakura glared at him. Sakura spoke up this time.

"We have been waiting for you for over an hour Kakashi-sensei. We have been ready."

Kakashi had the decency to look sheepish at his tardiness. He turned to look at Emma.

"You should sit at the edge of the training grounds." He motioned to a tree that was next to the path they had taken to arrive here. Wordlessly she turned and trudged back to the path and settled herself at the trunk of the tree.

She quickly realized that watching ninja's fight in real life was not nearly as entertaining as she thought it would be. She could barely see them at all. When she did it was mainly blurs of taijutsu or the after effects of ninjutsu. She grew bored quickly when she realised she wouldn't be able to see them no matter how hard she tried. She plucked at the grass, letting her mind wander till they were done training. A shadow fell over her. She looked up into Naruto's smiling blue eyes.

"So what was it like seeing a real ninja in action?" He pointed his thumb to himself obviously stating he was the only real ninja or at least the only one worth watching. Confidence raidiated from him like he was a miniature orange-clad sun. She could see why everyone loved him. He positivly exuded happiness and friendship. It was no wonder he could turn a life around for the better so easily. He had a sort of aura around him like he could be trusted with the deepest, darkest secrets the world could possibly throw at him.

She laughed nervously trying to distract them from the ripped grass blades all around her in the hopes that they wouldn't notice she had been bored for the last hour and a half.

"It's a bit difficult to watch when you are all moving so quickly." She sent him a halfhearted smile in apology.

"Civilian eyes are unaccustomed to processing the speed of a ninja." Sai interjected knowingly.

"Do you want to come with us to get some ramen? We always eat it after we train." Naruto smiled down at her. Sakura looked exasperated with Naruto.

"'We' don't always eat ramen after we train. Naruto is addicted to ramen. He eats it no matter what the occasion." She spoke to Emma as she sent a perturbed glare towards Naruto.

"It sounds nice Naruto, but I have to get back to my apartment. My furniture will be delivered soon."

"I'm heading in the same direction. I'll accompany you." Kakashi gave her a smile. She nodded to him.

"You're not coming Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto said.

"Maybe next time, Naruto." He gave a short wave as they walked away. They headed back to their homes at a leisurely pace.

"Not as exciting as you thought it would be, hmm?"

"Can't slip anything past you. Can I?" She gave a short sigh. She knew that nothing got past him but did that really mean he always had to bring it up around her. It wasn't as if she minded the trivial matters but what if she didn't want him to know something. What if he asked something about her knowledge of his world. She wouldn't answer, of course. But he would still be able to tell.

"I'm used to everything being slowed down and explained. All I could see today were blurs."

"How is it you knew about me?" This was the part where he questioned her knowledge that she had been so worried about. Though, she thought this question seemed harmless enough. It told nothing about the future or any secrets that should be kept hidden.

"You are one of the main characters." She didn't want to offer too much information so she didn't offer any more than what was necessary.

"Do you know what is under my mask?" He was somewhat curious. She seemed to know almost everything about him. He wasn't entirely sure how detailed her information was but there was a distinct possibility that she had seen his face and that disturbed him greatly. He hid his face for a reason. He didn't want anyone to see.

"Kakashi, no one knows what is under your mask. I know tons of things you don't know about your world but your face is the most frustratingly well kept secret of all of them. When your team asked what was under your mask and you dramatically revealed another mask, that was just cruel." She pouted in his direction to show her disappointment. He chuckled remembering the mission his students spent so much time trying to see his face.

"No one even knows why you hide your face. Though everyone seems to have their own theory about it."

"Like what?"

"I think your students thought you had big lips or buck teeth. Many believe there is something 'off' about your face, something that makes you look different and not socially acceptable. Everyone has a different opinion but that is a very popular option."

"Why is that so popular?" He looked affronted that a majority of people thought he was ugly.

"No one has seen your face. They must think you have something to hide when you try so hard to stay hidden all the time. Others like to think that you are extremely handsome and you have to hide your face to keep away the ravenous fan girls that would no doubt hound you every second of your life with various declarations of love and requests of marriage and fathering their children." She said everything with a very matter-of-fact air. His head snapped over to look at her as the images planted themselves in his mind. He would be horrified if that happened. He was a man that liked his privacy. If anyone attempted to stalk him for any reason, let alone the desperate theories she stated, he wouldn't be able to run away fast enough. He would rather go through another 100 competitions with Gai than to have countless women chasing after him with the intent to help him carry on his name.

"Some think you are so disarmingly gorgeous that anyone that sees you is literally struck dumb." He brightened slightly at this theory. It was a much better retelling of the last one.

"Honestly though that sounds like a bunch of bull." He slumped at her conclusion. Not that he cared what she thought of his looks but even he held a small hope that he was somewhat attractive.

"Which category do you fall under?"

"Well I haven't been running around screaming that I want to have your children so neither of the last two. If there is something strange about your face that you are trying to hide there really is no correct guess. Though, I would say from the way it conforms to your face its likely that your face is completely normal."

"So none of the above. What is your theory then?" She smiled thoughtfully.

"Since you are still asking for different theories I'm guessing that none of those were correct." She wasn't just telling him what everyone thought of his face. She was attempting to know why he hid his face in the first place.

"I neither confirm or deny any of your theories." There was a spark of victory in her eyes.

"You are trying to back track. That means I was right." He ignored her words.

"What is your theory then?" He repeated his earlier words. She looked at him plainly.

"I think your reason has changed. I believe you started to hide your face after your father's failed mission. At the time you were so ashamed to be his son that you hid your face because you look like him so much. After you realised your father was a hero for saving his comrades you felt guilty for ever feeling ashamed. You were so embarrassed by your actions that you continued to hide your face because you thought yourself unworthy to resemble such a great man." Kakashi's carefully schooled expression faltered slightly. He never expected a citizen to have such an understanding of his life. It was disturbing how much she knew.

"Kakashi you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I know it's your most closely guarded secret. I won't ask about it. I never tried to look and I won't start now. So we can just drop it." Thinking back he knew she was telling the truth. Not once in the few days they knew each other did she try to look at his face. She didn't even make a pathetic attempt to look around his book when he was eating. Obliging with her not so subtle suggestion, he stayed silent.

They arrived at her apartment just in time for the movers to place her furniture inside. After everything was in place she waved them off happily and returned inside to look at her new apartment. It was exactly like Kakashi's in its structure and painting. Her's only differed in it's cleanliness and different furniture. She thought those traits would likely remain unchanged.

"Can we go to the market? I still haven't bought food." Kakashi nodded his agreement and they proceeded out the door. She stocked up with a few of the essentials and several days worth of meals. She had also managed her funds enough that she was free to buy a few books, one was an icha icha book she added quickly while Kakashi was busy at the other end of the store. She felt very satisfied with herself as she lugged her bags home. Her stomach was rumbling its discontent for being empty.

She looked back to her white shadow that was forced to follow her everywhere. She felt bad for him. Being in the village was his time off and thanks to her he had to spend every second of it on a secret mission to watch her. She felt guilty as she tried to reason with herself. She thought it would be no different than if he got sent away on a long mission. She still couldn't help but feel guilty that she was bothering him, especially when she invaded his space and went through his things. Though in her defense she did leave everything in a better condition than it had been.

"Kakashi would you like to come over for dinner? I'd like to thank you for all you have done to help me."

His eye crinkled as a smile ghosted over his face.

"That would be nice. But there is nothing you need to thank me for." She decided to let the matter drop. They could argue their opinions all night but it wouldn't get them anywhere.

She cooked dinner and put away her groceries as Kakashi read his book at her table.

Dinner passed quietly and she cleaned up quickly.

"We need to establish a few things." She couldn't help but feel like she was in deep trouble from his words. Maybe he meant to scold her about her theories of his mask. She nodded and leaned against the counter for support.

"I will be able to sense you as long as both of us are in our apartments. If you leave I will know it. You should still tell me if you have anywhere to go. I will be next door if you need anything. Your safety is of the utmost importance. You cannot let anyone know that you are not from this world. You have to act like you are just another civilian that just moved from Suna. Letting anyone know the truth could put your life in danger and countless others if your secrets got out. You should know better than anyone what would happen to our world if anyone found out. You need to be careful, understand?"

"Yes." He stood and made to leave her apartment.

"Till next time then." He closed the door behind him.

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Please review.


	5. Chapter 5

Someone suggested to me that if I planned to raise the rating of my story later then I should just raise it now so it is not misleading. The content of this story should be around teen level for reasons that will eventually become clear.

There is a mature chapter that will be written as a separate story when the time comes. I will make sure to inform you when you can find it among my other stories.

Thanks to all that have responded so well to my story. I squeal with delight every time that I get a notification about this story. You make it all worth it!

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several days pass

Emma was laying on her couch reading when she heard a knock at her door. She marked her page and went to the door quickly. Kakashi stood in the door way. He lifted his hand in greeting.

"Yo."

"Afternoon Kakashi." She stood back to let him in.

"We have been summoned by the Hokage. We need to leave now." She raised her eyebrow sardonically.

"How late are we now?"

"A little over two hours."

"You are the one that is late and you are rushing me?"

"I work by my own time table. You should hurry up." She sent him a contemptuous glare before leaving to change.

"So what is this about anyway?" She spoke up to talk to him through her bedroom door.

"Jiraya has just returned to the village. I assume this meeting is about sending you home." She said nothing more as she dressed and walked out to meet him. She walked past him sliently and opened the door only to have a gloved hand close it before she stepped outside. She turned to see him hovering over her, his hand still on the door over her shoulder. She stared at him confused, uncomfortable with their proximity.

"We are already late enough. Hold on tight." His left arm wrapped around her tightly. Before she could even take stock of her surroundings she looked up to see a different ceiling than the one in her apartment. Kakashi let go of her and she realised she was in the Hokage's office.

"Not one for mundane entrances, Kakashi?" She teased him. He smiled lightly at her.

"You know me."

"Nice of you two to join us. I have been informing Jiraya of our situation. He had agreed to help in any way he can. The three of you are to go to the spot Emma entered this world and investigate it. See if there is any way to send her home and how to do it."

They nodded and she dismissed them. When they reconvened in the hallway Jiraya smiled jovially down at Emma.

"It's nice to meet such a lovely young thing such as yourself. Tell me, am I as well known in your world as I am here? Are my illustrious good looks and unmatched skill not the stuff of legend?" She smiled nervously. She didn't feel like she could get far enough away from this man in this state. When his ego came out to play she just wanted to crawl under a rock and wait for it to pass. Unfortunately for her there were no rocks conveniently located outside of the Hokage's office. She put on a brave face as she gathered her courage to face her problem head on. She figured the quickest way for his ego to recede would be to take him down a peg or two. She just hoped the two men didn't kill her in the process.

"Your perverseness is legendary as well as your mediocre books." Deafening silence fell as her statement seemed to reverberate in the air. Both men gaped at her.

"To describe the book as a romance story would be a lie. Just because the characters get a happily ever after doesn't make a smut story into a romance. Describing it as a smut story is more accurate. The smut in itself is not terrible though you do seem to cater more for the male point of view, which is understandable given who the author is." She shrugged pragmatically. "As a female reading a male-minded book I found it a bit cliche and lacking. You could make it a bit more female friendly with minimal effort. If you took a little bit of time to describe what the woman is feeling and what the man looks like you could easily gain female readers as well as male. You can still keep it as a nearly plot-less smut story with out adding mushy love scenes." She wrinkled her nose slightly in distaste. "There is a time and a place for those things. Not to mention they would take away from what makes your series so unique, so 'Icha Icha'."

Both men stared at her appalled and astounded. Jiraya lifted a finger to point at her as he looked to Kakashi.

"Where did you find her?" He asked, still stunned.

"That is what we are here for. Lets go." They departed without another word heading for the place she came to this world. Thanks to Kakashi being her method of transportation they only took a few short minutes to arrive.

"I need you to sit in the exact spot you came here." She laid down in the grass staring up at the tree just over her head. Jiraya began making seals here and there as he stood in varying positions around her.

"What were you doing right before you were sent here?" Jiraya asked from her left as he held a seal.

"I fell asleep while watching the show about your world. The time line seems to line up with the episode I watched."

"Did anything out of the ordinary happen before you came here?"

"No. Nothing." Jiraya began making more complicated seals as he scanned the ground around her. Kakashi stood a few paces away carefully watching Jiraya work.

Nearly a half an hour later Jiraya finally dropped his arms as his eye brows lowered in confusion.

"That's interesting."

"What is it?" Emma sat up to address him.

"It's nothing really. Quite literally nothing. It's just an ordinary piece of land and you are just an ordinary civilian. As far as I can tell there is nothing abnormal."

"So what does that mean as far as me going home?"

"Well there is no trace of any way you came here. Without knowing how you got here it would be impossible to send you home. I'm sorry." Jiraya looked at her sadly expecting her to be upset. Instead she grinned widely and popped up from the ground like a fresh spring daisy.

"No need to be sorry. I didn't want to go home anyway."

"You don't want to return home?" He questioned her with confusion adorning his features.

" is nothing and no one for me back there. I led a very solitary life. It's a dream come true to be stuck in my favorite story." She smiled at them.

"If we are done here we should report back to the Hokage." Kakashi interjected. They agreed and headed back to the village and straight to the Hokage tower. They walked right in to see Tsunade seemingly expecting them.

"What have you discovered?" She asked.

"There is nothing out of the ordinary from the point she entered this world. Nor is there anything different about her. We have no way to send her back without knowing how she came here. I'm afraid there is no way for her to return home." Jiraya stated plainly. Tsunade nodded and laced her fingers.

"Thank you Jiraya. You are dismissed." She looked to Emma as he closed the door behind him. "It seems you will be staying here until further notice. As we have discussed before Konoha will not be funding your livelihood while you are here. I expect you to get a job to make your own way here. Always remember that you must not tell anyone that you posses knowledge of this world. Kakashi, you will continue to look after her until I am satisfied that no one else knows where she is from or what she knows."

"We may have a small problem with that Tsunade-sama. We can't always be around each other every second of everyday. It would look too suspicious."

"You make an excellent point, Kakashi. I will make sure you are assigned enough missions to keep up appearances. As far as being seen in public, keep your contact within reason. At other times I think traveling within the village walls should be safe enough for her. Any time you leave the village Kakashi, leave your ninken with her as a protector and messenger if anything should go wrong. From residential forms I received, it seems you are now neighbors. That should make it easy to keep an eye on her." Tsunade turned to Emma again.

"Keep Kakashi informed if you plan to go anywhere within the walls of Konoha. It may seem a bit excessive but it is for your own safety. If there isn't anything else then you are dismissed."

They both left with out any other issues. They walked back to their respective apartments slowly enjoying the fall breeze. Kakashi had his mask covered nose buried in one of his books. She watched him curiously wondering if all shinobi could walk without watching where they were going or if it was only Kakashi. She was pulled out of her thoughts as he stopped walking and sighed. She only had time to raise an eyebrow before she noticed a green blur coming at them. The blur stopped abruptly right in front of Kakashi. It took her a second for her weak senses to catch up, when they did she realised she saw Might Guy.

"Kakashi my eternal rival! I have just returned from an exciting mission. I find the springtime of youth is especially effective soon after a victorious mission. So prepare yourself for another duel!" Emma watched his exuberance in awe. She never knew anyone that had such unrelenting spirit and in such a flamboyant fashion. When he struck his nice guy pose she lost what little control she had over the giggles that were attempting to surface. He hand clapped over her mouth as she held back her laughter, only succeeding in gasping and letting out a few squeaks as both men cast confused looks her way. She cleared her throat and attempted to compose herself.

"I don't have time for another competition right now Guy. I am helping this woman back to her home." Guy clapped a heavy hand on Kakashi's shoulder as he beamed his trademark sparkly smile.

"It is so refreshing to know that not all of your excuses are made up. How chivalrous of you to help a lost woman to her home. Tell me lost woman, what name befits such a youthful beauty such as yourself?" She made a valiant effort not to grimace at his exuberance.

"Emma Steele."

"Emma, you can join us this evening. All of our friends are meeting at the usual place."

"Uh..."

"I absolutely insist." How was she supposed to argue? He wasn't about to take no for an answer.

"Alright."

"Excellent!" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and turned them both to stare at the sun setting behind the trees in the distance. "We can enjoy the springtime of our youth even in the fall! With fun and friends..." She stopped listening as he rambled on some inspiring and showy speech. She chose instead to look around at Kakashi smiling at her jovially, happy that he wasn't the one to capture Guy's attention for once. She mouthed the words 'help me', with slight panic mounting, sincerely hoping that this situation fell under things he was supposed to save her from. To her immense relief he stepped forward and interrupted Guy.

"We will see you tonight, Guy." He walked along ahead of them raising a hand as a goodbye. Emma took the opportunity to slide herself out from underneath Guy's arm. She disliked touching people in general. She liked her personal space bubble to remain intact. It had nothing to do with Guy personally. He always seemed like a polite and chivalrous man to her. He was just too energetic and showy. She already felt exhausted from their short encounter. She walked quickly to catch up with Kakashi.

"Thank you for that." He nodded in her direction and buried his face in his book again.

They both parted ways once they reached their apartments. Emma assumed Kakashi would come get her when he was ready to leave. She changed out of her dirty clothes and into some clean ones. She washed her face and brushed her hair before deeming herself ready. She flopped down on her couch to continue her book until Kakashi came. Sure enough, a few hours later she heard a knock at her door. She stepped into her shoes and grabbed her wallet with the little bit of money she had left over from Tsunade's allowance. She tagged along at Kakashi's heels as they arrived at a bar. Genma, Guy, Tenzo, Kurenai and Asuma greeted Kakashi as he sat down. Guy took the liberty of introducing Emma before anyone could ask who she was. He was also kind enough to mention everyone's names, not that she actually needed to know them but she did have to keep up appearances.

"It's nice to meet you Emma." Kurenai smiled at her kindly.

"It's nice to meet everyone."

"Why haven't we seen each other around the village before? I don't remember you."

"I just moved here from Suna a little over a week ago. I don't think we have seen each other around the village since then."

"How did you meet Kakashi then? He isn't one for meeting new people." She floundered for a response. She couldn't tell them she popped up in the middle of nowhere and Kakashi just happened to help her.

"She is my cleaning lady." She glanced at Kakashi picking up on his story.

"I've told you before the title is house keeper." She hoped that added a bit more realism to the story. They seemed to accept the story easily. Thank goodness Kakashi was there. She wouldn't have been able to lie convincingly without him.

"It's so nice to be able to talk to another woman my age. I don't mind hanging around with the guys but it's refreshing to have a woman around." A little mental math in Emma's head had her confused.

"How old do you think I am?" She asked curiously.

"I'm 31 so I thought you would be somewhere around there. Am I wrong?" She said. Emma looked sheepish.

"I'm 25. I guess I just look old, huh?"

"No, it's not that. It's more your mannerisms and the way you handle yourself. You act much older. I don't usually see that in a civilian unless they are older."

"It's not a big deal. It doesn't bother me." Emma shrugged as she spoke.

"Would you like a drink?" The woman asked her.

"No thank you. I don't drink."

"See that's what I mean by the way you handle yourself. You seem more responsible and collected than others your age." Emma smiled at her.

They chatted with her telling her all about Konoha and how different it can be from Suna. They were very friendly and kind to her. It seemed so much easier to interact with people in a make believe world than in her own. She was positivly charming around her new group of friends rather than being reclusive as she always had been in her world. After a few hours of burning the midnight oil she politely excused herself to go home. Kakashi excused himself as well under the pretense of helping her find her way home in this unfamiliar part of town.

"So now i'm your cleaning lady?"

"Housekeeper." He corrected her. She rolled her eyes.

"Does that mean i'm hired?"

"Of course. I wouldn't want anyone else to fold my underwear."

"You didn't exactly have a choice last time."

"You're right. Maybe I should find a different housekeeper. I wouldn't want just anyone to touch my personal items."

"I promise to handle your books with care."

"Then you can start tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Kakashi."

"Night."

They both entered their apartments and headed for bed. Kakashi sent his senses out one last time. It seemed she was already in bed. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, he laid down and went to sleep.

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Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Here is a little chapter for you today. This is an important transition to later plot. Bear with me through this little Kakashi/Emma fluff. This and the next chapter will introduce a few more characters for short parts in this story. I hope you enjoy!

To my newest guest reviewer called Len:

I thank you very much for your review. It has helped me to realize that my explanation was not clear. The M rated chapter will NEVER be posted in this T rated story. As I have said it will be placed as it's own story as an excerpt from this story. This separate story will be categorized by it's appropriate rating and labeled clearly by it's content. This story it self will not go past T rating as I have recently corrected as of seeing my previous mistake. I understand your outrage in assuming stories would be improperly rated for your niece's or any other child's eyes. I have a niece as well and I would want her to read age appropriate stories as well.

Again thank you for making my mistake clear. I hope this note has rectified my terrible explanation last chapter. If you have enjoyed this story thus far I sincerely hope you continue to read it. I didn't plan to update this story until tomorrow but as I wanted to correct this mistake I wanted to update it before I went to bed. So the people following this story can give thanks to you, Len, for watching out for innocent eyes and inadvertently causing a rapid update from this author. I hope you will be able to read this as I was unable to PM you.

Sincerely,

leeniejs

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Emma started to clean Kakashi's apartment just after lunch. She started his laundry, washed his dishes and relocated most of his things to more convenient locations as it seemed the only place they belonged was on the floor previously. It was nearing dinner time when she started to dust the place. She could tell it would take a few days just to get rid of the level of grime that seemed to permeate every surface in his home. She was busy wiping down one of the walls, of what seemed to be decades of dust, when she heard his stomach growl from across the room. She looked back to see him laying on the couch reading. He hadn't moved from that spot since he let her in.

"Didn't you eat lunch?" She asked.

"No."

"Did you eat breakfast?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"There isn't any more food."

"So instead of going to get food you are just choosing to starve?"

"Yes." She sighed in resignation.

"Fine then, hand me some money." He casually turned a page, unfazed by her words.

"If this is a shake down it is poorly executed." He deadpanned.

"You know it's not. You are supposed to buy cleaning products for me to use on your home. Obviously you aren't going to do so anytime soon, if ever. I'll just run out and buy them and while i'm out I might as well buy you some food. I wouldn't want you to starve." Kakashi snapped his book shut and left for his bedroom. He returned and handed over his wallet.

"Use whatever you need and leave the rest."

"I'll be back soon."

Emma was regretting the decisions to go shopping for Kakashi. The cleaning supplies alone were heavy enough but the added weight of the groceries was really starting to hurt her arms. The walk to the market didn't seem nearly as long as the trip back. Maybe she had worn herself out already from cleaning. She sat on a bench and laid the bags down to gather her strength. She was far too weak and lazy. She would have to get used to it or she wouldn't survive in a physically demanding world such as this one. She sighed and grabbed the bags. Hearing thumping from below she looked down to see one of the bags split open, spilling oranges and apples all over the road. She groaned to herself and hastened to let go of the bags to gather the fruit. She knelt to pick up an apple and lunged at an orange that was quickly rolling away. Her hand smacked the road as she missed. Looking up she saw a bandaged hand holding out the renegade fruit.

She looked up further at the beaming face of Rock Lee. She smiled back at him as she took the proffered fruit.

"Thank you. I thought it was going to get away from me."

"It is no trouble. It is a pleasure to help out a youthful flower in need." She blushed at the compliment. She busied herself with gathering the fruit in her arms as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

"I am Rock Lee, beautiful green beast of Konoha. Please allow me to help with your bags." She wanted to decline his offer at first. She didn't want to bother him. But looking at the bags she had to carry for several more streets and the fruit she would have to juggle on her way back she thought it much simpler to just give in.

"That would be wonderful Lee. Thank you. My name is Emma by the way." She held the fruit in her arms as Lee grabbed the bags for her.

"It is wonderful to meet you Emma-san."

"I just moved here from Suna. I didn't think the market was so far away. You must be Guy's student."

"You know Guy-sensei?" He asked with excitement.

"I met him just yesterday. You seem so much like him." Lee had stars in his eyes as he began to talk about his sensei. He told her a few glamorized stories about how wonderful Guy was. He just finished a story as they climbed the stairs of the apartment complex.

"This is where Kakashi-sensei lives." He stated.

"Yes, that is where we are going." Lee looked at her for a moment. He nodded, seemingly putting two and two together.

"I did not realize that Kakashi-sensei had a girlfriend." Her face turned red faster than she could turn around to speak to him.

"What? No, no, no, no, no. I'm his housekeeper. I went out to buy him groceries and cleaning supplies."

"I apologize for jumping to conclusions." She knocked on Kakashi's door still very embarrassed from Lee's words.

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi opened the door to let them in.

"I see you brought company." Emma and Lee deposited the bags onto the kitchen counter.

"Lee was kind enough to help me when one of the bags broke."

"Emma-san, if it is not too much to ask, I would like to hire you as my housekeeper as well." She looked flustered at his unexpected request.

"Sure, Lee. That sounds great. I can stop by tomorrow if you like."

"Excellent. I will see you tomorrow, Emma-san. Goodbye Kakashi-sensei." Lee closed the door behind him as he left.

"I must be one hell of a house keeper. I've been on the job for less than 24 hours and I already have two clients." She started to put things away. "I didn't think you were much of a cook so I just bought you more ramen, cereal and some snacks." She boiled water in the kettle and poured it in the cup of noodles. She set chop sticks on top and set it in front of Kakashi who had just sat down at his table. She promptly left the room to give him the privacy to eat alone. She thought it would be tiring to try to hide his face from everyone and she wanted to respect his wishes to keep his face hidden. She finished putting away his laundry and tidying up his bedroom. Her stomach protested it's lack of food. She rubbed at it sympathetically. Emma decided to call it a day and head home.

She handed Kakashi his wallet before she left. He dug into it and handed her a stack of bills. She shuffled the bills around, counting them.

"This is a lot for just a half a day Kakashi."

"You cleaned my apartment twice now. Getting my groceries is worth more than just cleaning and you made my dinner."

"I boiled water." She said sardonically.

"And I appreciated it."

"I guess there is no point in arguing with you. You always seem to get your way." He grinned at her.

"Nice to know you are learning."

"If you are teaching me things does that mean I should call you Kakashi-sensei." She teased him in a simpering voice. He didn't want to admit it but hearing a woman of her age calling him sensei made him feel much older than when his team called him with the same suffix.

"No."

"Good. Just because I am learning how you operate doesn't mean I am going to do everything you say. I'll be going to clean Lee's place tomorrow. I'll see you next time."

"Till next time."

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Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Another chapter for my lovely followers! I really tried to focus on how the relationship between Kakashi and Emma developed. So there will be quite a lot of interaction between the two and little else. This is a romance after all, anything else and I would have put it in another category. I hope you are enjoying the journey as they learn more about each other during their day to day lives.

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As usual Emma found herself cuddled under a blanket on her couch reading before bed. She also came to expect knocks on her door from Kakashi at all hours of the day. So she wasn't surprised to find him standing outside her door in the late hours of the evening. She was surprised to find Pakkun and Bull at his side. She stood aside to let them in.

"How did it go at Lee's?" He questioned.

"It went as well as I could expect. Laundry goes a lot easier when it's all one piece jump suits."

"I'm about to leave on a mission. I will be gone for a few days. Pakkun and Bull will be staying here to watch over you. If anything goes wrong Pakkun is here act as a messenger and Bull is here to protect you." He handed her a key.

"That's my apartment key. Feel free to clean as you see fit when I'm gone. I'll reimburse you when I get back. Take care of the boys while I am gone. Bye." He smiled at her before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

"Kakashi! I've never taken care of a dog before." She shouted at the remains of the smoke that were quickly disappearing.

"Lucky for you, these dogs talk." She floundered for speech as she stared at both the dogs. She wasn't surprised to know they could talk. She had known that. But Kakashi had just thrown the dogs and information at her and disappeared.

"Alright, alright," She paused."first things first. What do I need to take care of you guys? Does Kakashi have anything for you in his apartment?"

"No, he never needs us to stick around his apartment long enough to take care of us there. All we should need is some food while we stay here." Pakkun spoke in his usual deep growling voice.

"Well, I need to go shopping anyway. So, we can head out and pick up some food for you as well." She stepped off to her bedroom to change. She was torn from feeling indifferent from changing in front of dogs or embarrassment from changing in front of intelligent, talking dogs. Seeing as they were different species she decided on the former.

"Has Kakashi told you why I need protecting?" She spoke as she pulled on a new pair of pants.

"More or less. He told us the basics but didn't go into much detail. He said you have very important secrets that need to stay secret from everyone or the world as we know it just might end."

"Well... more or less." She echoed his words as she stepped into her shoes and shrugged on her coat. "Are you both ready?"

Both dogs suddenly were enveloped in a cloud of smoke in retaliation, appearing through the smoke without their ninken gear. Pakkun explained before she could ask.

"It would be suspicious for a civilian to have two ninken following her. If we want to keep a low profile we should be seen as common house pets." Pakkun grumbled out the last words as if they were degrading.

Rather than answer, she opened the door and waited for the dogs to follow her out before locking the door behind them.

A few hours later she was putting away her groceries and preparing food for all three mouths in her apartment. The boys had managed to coerce her into buying them fresh meat rather than a bag of dog food. After their dinner of steaks, which the boys heartily enjoyed, she was climbing in bed and looked over to consider her two protectors.

"It's a pretty big bed for just one person if you both would like to share then you are welcome to the other side." Without another word Pakkun jumped up to take the unused pillow. Bull merely stepped up and laid himself out on the bed lazily. Deciding she quite liked both ninken, she snuggled deeper into the covers feeling extremely safe.

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Two months later.

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Emma closed the door to her apartment behind her and the ninken. Each time Kakashi left the village he always stopped by for a quick farewell and to drop off his two ninken with her. This time he had been gone 4 days and wasn't due to come back till tomorrow. She didn't mind. The boys were good company.

In the evenings they would relax on the couch. Bull would take up two thirds of the space while she sat with Pakkun in her lap as she read. Both of them enjoyed their quiet time especially when she would alternate between the two to scratch them behind the ears.

A full day of cleaning apartments for her clients went well but it drained on her energy. She couldn't complain much. They paid her well for her time. Outsourcing their cleaning and shopping to her left them with more time to train and take on missions which benefited both ninja and village. She had become a trusted part of the community and a face regularly seen around the market, what with her constant grocery shopping she did for several of her clients. She prided herself on her attention to detail when she catered to the needs of each of her clients. She already knew it was a waste of money and time to buy Naruto anything but ramen to eat. Sakura loved having fresh fruits and vegetables in her home. Sai always appreciated when she cleaned and organized his artistic materials. Lee was over the moon every time she made him lunches to take to the training field. She had taken the liberty of buying a nutrition book to help tailor his diet to his exercise routine. She also bought a few cook books to expand her knowledge of making healthy and good tasting food. Lee had wept for joy at the level of care he was receiving from her. He showered her with an unexpected bonus and complimented her so exuberantly that she resembled a tomato by the time she walked out leaving him to his 'youthful' monologue.

Kakashi always seemed to come home from his missions either an inch from death, in which case she quickly found Sakura to heal and hopefully beat some sense into him, or he came home completely exhausted and starving. There did not seem to be any other category. Anytime she heard through the grapevine that Kakashi was returning to the village she made sure to have a hot meal ready for him. It also became a habit to check on him every time he came home. The first time he came home wounded she had returned the next morning to clean his home and found him bleeding and unconscious on his couch.

Since then she had become a bit blase about the situation. For nearly 3 decades many people have tried and failed to get Kakashi Hatake to go to the hospital willingly. She knew any attempts made by her would also go unheeded.

Her clients trusted her immensely. Each had trusted her with a key to their home and extra funds that she kept organized in a small accordion folder and she kept track of each grocery bill in a pocket organizer along with details of their favorite foods and products.

The best part of her job was she could make her own hours. When a client was away on a mission she had the freedom to clean their home at any hour of the day. She took great care to know when they were in the village or not. She wanted to make sure that she wasn't invading anyone's privacy on their down time. It was for her sake as much as their own. She had been cleaning Sai's apartment, unaware that he had just stepped out of the shower. When he walked out to his kitchen in just a towel she had experienced the most severe case of personal embarrassment and fremdscham for the ignorant man. This had lead to an embarrassing Q and A about why she had suddenly developed a striking resemblance to a cherry tomato. She attempted to explain to him that partial nudity was not something that most people found comfortable. He seemingly caught on and made to remove the towel saying something about baring oneself to initiate a deeper emotional connection. She had clapped her hands over her eyes and ran from his home shreiking at the top of her lungs. Since then he had affectionately called her the bloody banshee. She was not amused at his surplus understanding of humor and lack of knowledge of nudity practices.

Thankfully Sakura had found out and took it upon herself to beat some sense into the pale man. She had shown up at Emma's door with a bruised and beaten Sai in tow. She had strung him up by his collar and made him apologize to Emma. After Sakura was satisfied she drug him back to the hospital to deal with his injuries.

These last two days she cleaned each home regardless of the she had just touched up each home, making sure everything would be fine for the next few days. She had worked extra hard to get ahead of her work so she could take a day off tomorrow. She leaned against the wall and rubbed at a sore heel. Her eyes scanned her living room and kitchen briefly, landing on a mop of silver hair.

"Evening Kakashi. I didn't think you would be back today."

"The mission was shorter than expected."

"I'm assuming you are here because you are hungry."

"You neglected to prepare food for me this time."

"You have ramen in your cupboard." He smiled at her politely.

"Nothing is as good as your cooking Emma." She shook her head smiling.

"Kakashi, flattery will get you nowhere." She hung up her coat waiting for him to believe she might actually neglect to feed him.

"Have I told you how wonderful you are lately?" She rolled her eyes at his fake desperate tone.

"It's just lucky for you I'm going to feed the boys and myself. Don't worry I'll make some for you, too." She walked to the kitchen and started a dinner for the four of them.

"How did everything go?" Kakashi addressed his companions.

"Nothing out of the ordinary Kakashi. Same as every other time." Pakkun answered rather bored.

A half an hour later their meals were eaten and the ninken had left till they were summoned again. Kakashi sat at the table behind his book as she cleaned the dishes.

"You look tired."

"A little yes. I'm going to bed early. Good night, Kakashi."

"Night, Emma."

Kakashi left for his apartment. As she was his most important mission he always kept her presence in the back of his mind. He sensed her stopping to shower and going to bed early just as she mentioned. After he sensed she was fully asleep and in no danger he went to bed himself.


	8. Chapter 8

Now we are getting to the interesting parts! This chapter we learn a bit more about Emma and why she is the way she is. Enjoy and don't forget to review!

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Kakashi didn't think anything was wrong till it was nearly noon and Emma hadn't left her bed yet. He knew she had been tired but sleeping for nearly 17 hours had him worried. He let himself into her apartment and knocked on her door.

"Emma? Are you alright? Can I come in?"

"Come in." He opened the door and saw her rub at her eyes as she stayed curled up under her covers.

"You slept till noon. Are you alright?"

"I don't feel well. All I need is some food and rest."

"You stay here and rest. I'll get you something to eat."

"Kakashi-"

"Stay." His tone suggested there would be no arguing with him. She scowled at him as he left for the kitchen. She didn't like that Kakashi was trying to take care of her. It made her feel like and invalid. She felt lazy. She could easily cook herself something to eat but she knew Kakashi was too stubborn to let her do it for herself. She had only ever relied on herself and taken care of others. It came so easily to help others but she would rather eat broken glass than ask someone for help. She took care of Kakashi dozens of times when he came home injured. She took more than a few trips across town to find Sakura to come patch him up. And she had cleaned up his blood on many occasions but the thought of Kakashi doing so much as boiling water for ramen for her made her feel useless.

She got out of bed, suddenly too anxious to sit still. After a much needed bathroom break she walked out to her kitchen only to be greeted by a perturbed Kakashi.

"I told you to stay in bed."

"I had to pee."

"Now that you have you should be resting again."

"I am fully capable of taking care of myself."

"Obviously not." His words were like a smack to the face.

"What are you talking about?"

"I can tell from the state of your apartment that you haven't done much here in the past few days. Your chores are piling up, your food is hardly touched and you probably haven't been sleeping much while you are out there trying to be the perfect housekeeper. You are trying to do too much and you aren't taking care of yourself in the process. You made yourself sick by working too hard. Why are you so reluctant to have someone take care of you for once?" She didn't look at him. She felt as if meeting his eye would give him the ability to know every second of her life. She knew he wouldn't let it go. Telling him a half truth might convince him to drop the subject.

"I told you I never had friends but that wasn't entirely true. I had a few friends when I was about 15 but they made it very clear to me that I was better off with out them. Since then I have never even tried to have friends. I was much better off only trusting myself. Each person I chose to call a friend quickly shattered that little delusion called trust. I had to take care of my father for years so it comes naturally to me to help others. But my so called friends that I had trusted to help me and take care of me if I needed them quelled any desire I had to rely on anyone but myself. Don't try to tell me the world is any damn different from how I see it because you of all people know it is not. You come to care for someone only to have that care tossed aside in my case: betrayal, in yours: death. I can't trust easily and you can't open up and care for people beyond being teammates."

She was thoroughly upset now. She wasn't angry. The wistful feeling of remembering her once-friends left her more morose than angry. Kakashi stared at her blankly. Unfortunately, she was right about everything.

"I don't let others take care of me because it makes me feel useless. I take care of others because I know I won't betray their trust. I would rather die than tell the enemies of the leaf village a single word about Konoha's future. I know what it's like to be hurt that is why I will never betray anyone's trust in me. I hate it that I have to rely on you for protection. And it scares me that I am learning to trust you. It scares me that I would trust you to save my life but I can't even trust you enough to make me lunch."

"You're right. I can't expect you give your trust without receiving trust from me first. Let's just take it step my step. You are sick and I want you to trust me enough to make you some food. It's not difficult or inconvenient for me to do so. In exchange I will tell you something about myself. Is that a deal?"

"Tell me now."

"There isn't anything wrong with my face. No big teeth. No fish lips. Satisfied?" She smiled lightly and nodded.

"Excellent. All you have to do is lay in bed and I will be in soon." She left, only mildly reluctant, she propped herself up in bed and read until he came in a few minutes later with a bowl of hot soup.

"Thank you, Kakashi." He sat at the edge of her bed, flipping through his book while she ate.

"Your not going to tell me what your friends did to betray you, are you?"

"That's a story for another day, if ever." He looked at her skeptically. He didn't believe her story was quite as bad as she made it out to be.

"Your biggest secret is your face. Mine is how my friends betrayed me. I'm not about to tell you any time soon." Kakashi mock pouted.

"Fine, I guess you won't see my face any time soon then." He teased her. She scoffed.

"You wouldn't willingly show me your face anyway. So there really isn't a point, is there?"

"Why are you starting to trust me if you never trust anyone?"

"I think it's mainly because I already know so much about you. You have never promised me anything so you never broke a promise to me. I've never been in danger while under your care. Though when you forced me to sleep in your bed when I wanted to take the couch didn't help me trust you at all. I just know you are always a wall away watching over me. It's reassuring, Even if you pop up unannounced sometimes."

He scratched the back of his head looking appropriately sheepish. When his missions were over and she didn't immediately check on him he would appear in her apartment for the confirmation that she was still alive and healthy. She wasn't sure if she was lucky enough, or him skilled enough, for him to never appear when she wouldn't want to be seen, such as showering or changing. She had wondered if it was a skill of his to only appear when she was fully dressed, in which case her opinion of him would skyrocket to chivalrous and respectful. On the other hand it could be coincidence and he didn't care at all what she was doing when he so carelessly walked in uninvited all the time. Sadly, she had a feeling it was the latter.

"Someone needs to look after you otherwise you will work yourself to death. You should relax for the rest of the day. Rest, recover, make sure you eat. Doctor's orders."

"Suddenly you are 'Doctor Kakashi'?"

"Would you prefer I get Sakura?" Emma quickly shook her head. Sakura was a wonderful girl and a brilliant doctor but she was more likely to scold Emma for being so reckless with her health and force her to work less than to simply give her advice and medicine to get better. Kakashi took his leave without another word. She flopped down on her bed, resigning herself to a relaxing day. She pondered briefly what to do for the day when she came upon the perfect idea. Reading a book in a bubble bath sounded heavenly. Without further preamble she grabbed a book and headed straight to the bathroom.

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Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Here is a little Christmas chapter for you. I know it's no where near Christmas now but it is in the story. The next chapter will be longer and very important!

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A few weeks pass.

Emma knew Kakashi would be back in the village today. As per usual she was performing a quick cleanup on his apartment and preparing something for him for when he got home. During her ministrations she heard Kakashi's door open to reveal the man himself. He smelled her cooking and smiled at her as he closed the door.

"I didn't think you would be back so soon. I was going to put this in the fridge for you whenever you got home. Are you hungry now?"

"If you are offering food I will always say yes."

"Flatterer."

"That wasn't entirely a compliment."

"Always look underneath the underneath, right, Kakashi?" They were both grinning from their playful banter. She laid a plate down as he sat at the table. She kept her back turned away from him as she finished cleaning up. This gave him the opportunity to savor his meal in peace. He was always grateful that he didn't have to go to extreme measures to hide his face around her.

They had slowly come to trust in each other more over the past few weeks. This mainly went unspoken but Kakashi could tell from the difference in her attitude she was coming to terms with trusting him. She had gradually relaxed and become more honest and open with him. He never pressed her for details about her past and she, in turn, was respectful of his privacy and never brought up sensitive topics. They were both comfortable with referring to the other as a friend. Emma had even gone so far as to branch out and befriend the rest of his team. Admittedly, she was still slightly uncomfortable around them but their amicability, and Sakura's tendency to hit Sai when he made Emma uncomfortable, was doing wonders for her social life.

She had invited them over to her home for Christmas dinner and to exchange gifts. She hastily checked her hair in the bathroom mirror and smoothed down the simple red dress around her. She didn't usually get dressed up but having company on Christmas made her feel like jeans were unacceptable. A simple knee length, flowing, short sleeved red dress and a neat pony tail made her feel wonderfully dressed up, considering she usually just wore baggy sweat pants and equally baggy shirts.

She rushed to the door when she heard knocking. She was surprised to see Kakashi standing there decidedly dressed differently from his usual mission attire. Black slacks over black boots made his lower half look much more formal than the navy button up shirt that he had chosen to leave un-tucked and two top buttons left neglected. Underneath he was wearing his usual black shirt and mask with his hitai-ate over his left eye. The formality of it was entirely ruined by the zip up jacket he wore unzipped.

"I'm surprised you showed up early."

"I was in the neighborhood." She rolled her eyes and let him in, out of the cold.

"So the perpetually tardy Kakashi Hatake is early, to a social gathering of all things. I have to wonder why." She teased him curiously.

"I didn't want to attempt to smell the delicious food you are cooking through the wall. I thought I would come straight to the source." He set his presents down on the counter. He lifted one and handed it to her. She took it with a smile. She tore at the paper excitedly. She laughed.

"Icha Icha Seduction? I haven't heard of that one before."

"It's brand new. It hasn't been released yet. I talked Jiraya into a few copies. It seems he took your advice to heart and is attempting to make it more unisex. He was hoping you would read it and give him your insight."

"Thank you Kakashi. It's wonderful." Hearing more knocking she quickly stashed the book in her room and went to receive her new guests.

A dinner full of well wishing and compliments thrown around of food or attire was ended by dessert and eventual gift giving. She had bought Naruto a gift certificate for Ichiraku Ramen. Sai had received a new set of ink in all colors from her. He thanked her with a genuine smile while Naruto rubbed the gift certificate on his cheek imagining all the ramen he could buy with it. She estimated that it wouldn't last him till lunch tomorrow. She gave Sakura a coveted horticulture encyclopedia. Sakura praised it as one of the most complete texts in the world and something she had been planning to buy for months.

Naruto and Sai had given her sweets. Sakura had given her a new fantasy novel. She exclaimed each to be wonderful and that she was eager to eat/read her new gift. After many 'thank you's and gathering of presents Sakura, Naruto and Sai said goodbye and left. Kakashi stayed behind, offering to help her clean up.

"You didn't have to help." She was wrist deep in soapy water as she handed Kakashi another plate to dry.

"I know. But you would be up half the night trying to clean all of this up by yourself."

"Have you read Icha Icha Seduction yet?"

"I have had the book longer than a day so it's safe to say I read it at least once."

"Don't spoil it for me. It would be an atrocity."

"I won't."

"Speaking of gifts I haven't given you your's yet." She dried her hands and dashed off to her room. She returned quickly with a small box in her hand. He took it gingerly from her out stretched hand. He opened the top to reveal a silver key.

"I really didn't know what to get you. You are a hard man to shop for. Above all else I wanted to thank you for helping me learn to be a little more human and putting me on the path to trusting people again. That is a key to my apartment. It's meant to be a physical representation of my trust. I know you can get in here a dozen different ways without a key but it's more sentiment than anything else. It's just a formal way of saying I trust you."

He couldn't find the right words to express his gratitude and the worth of the gift she had given him. He instead chose to pull her into a hug. The suddenness of the contact had her tensing up at first. He could feel each muscle slowly relaxing as she lifted her arms to return the gesture. She laid her head on his chest, slightly embarrassed as the hug dragged on while he waited for her to relax. She closed her eyes, relishing in the physical contact of another human being. The soft thumping of Kakashi's heart driving the point home that he was indeed just as human as she was. They remained in each other's embrace for a few breaths before she politely detached from him.

"Thank you for helping me clean up Kakashi. I'll see you next time."

"Always."

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Please review and watch for the next chapter as the next two are just about the most important chapters in the whole story!


	10. Chapter 10

Here is where things get interesting! It is well worth the wait in my opinion. I hope you love it. We get to learn more about Emma! This chapter is big in both ways. It is the longest chapter to date and is extremely important!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited! You are all wonderful!

I am looking for a beta for this story. If anyone could contact me that would be great.

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one month passes.

Emma trudged home in a foul mood. Her usual disposition was taken over considering the impending doom of the particular time of the year. Her least favorite day of the year was tomorrow and she sincerely hoped that she would be able to avoid everyone until tomorrow was over. She closed her door with more force than was necessary and kicked her boots off aggressively. She glared around her apartment, irritated at anything that dared to be unclean or out of place. She hung up her coat by the door and began to attack her dishes as well as her other chores. She had planned another day off for herself tomorrow and had taken care of her clients accordingly.

Somewhat satisfied that her chores were done, she settled herself in bed and hoped that tomorrow would pass quickly.

Kakashi, once again, felt there was something wrong with his young charge. It was nearly noon and she had yet to leave her bed. He assumed this to be a repeat of her last planned day off and appeared outside of her bedroom door to check on her.

"Emma, are you feeling alright?" He heard her rustling around in bed.

"I'm fine, Kakashi."

"May I come in?" He heard her grumble faintly. A sure sign that she was definitely not fine.

"What's wrong?"

"The last time you stayed in bed till noon you were overworked and made yourself sick. I wanted to make sure you are feeling alright."

"I'm fine just like I said. I just wanted to have a lazy day today." The fake smile she gave him was more than enough indication that she was lying. He gave her his best withering stare.

"I thought we were past the point of lying to each other." She looked at him apprehensively. She was inwardly disappointed with herself that she had lied to him. They were friends and that meant that she should be able to confide in him and trust him with more than just her life but also her secrets.

"What's wrong?" He prompted. She sighed and resigned herself to an explanation. She sat up in bed, attempting to waste a minute to gather her thoughts.

"I'm sorry I lied to you. I just wanted to spend the day alone. It's January 26th. For the past 21 years I have always spent that day alone." She pressed her face into her hands, groaning. "January 26th is the day my mom died 21 years ago." The tension that hung in the air could be cut with a knife. Kakashi was no stranger to loss. Most felt the need to apologize for the loss of a loved one. Kakashi knew that while the sentiment was there, the words themselves were meaningless. There was not a word, phrase, speech, or book that existed that made losing someone better. This was one of the reasons he chose to stay silent. He also sensed that her story wasn't finished.

"It was an accident. She slid on some ice and hit her head on the sidewalk. She bled out and died before my father and I even knew what was wrong." She laughed humorlessly. "Today is actually my birthday. She went out to pick up my birthday cake. She slipped and hit her head because her hands weren't fast enough to let go of the cake to save herself. I haven't celebrated a birthday since. I just try to forget that the day exists." Kakashi saw her dead eyes boring into the comforter below her, obviously lost in her memories.

He was sure that there wasn't a damn thing he could say to make this situation better. He sat at the edge of her bed and pulled her close. She was very different from him but in the ways they chose to deal with loss, they had been very similar. They both chose to mope and feel sorry for themselves. Both even going so far as to ignore everyone else around them. For years they had coped with their loss by shutting everything out. Unfortunately for her, her stay in this world had changed her dramatically. The ritual she had become accustom to the last 20 years was failing to accommodate her new self on the 21st year. Where she had once forced everything away from her, she was suddenly accepting of his embrace on this dark day.

She tensed as he wrapped an arm around her. An action he had come to expect from her the few times they had come in contact. She relaxed against him compliantly, resting her head on his shoulder. She had found this particular birthday to be more stressful in her attempts to forget it. His embrace brought a warmth to her body and an ease to her mind unlike anything else she had ever known. He mind was blissfully clear as she listened to his steady breathing.

He stroked her back gently. Silently telling her that he was here for her in any manner she needed him. He assumed she would cry but it seemed she was far to stubborn to succumb to that weakness anymore. She probably hadn't cried for her mother's death in years. They remained in their half embrace for several moments. He was unwilling to pull away when she needed him. She didn't want to move as he was the only thing keeping her mind clear.

He willed himself to detach from her with the promise that he could help her further. She felt a pang in her chest when he stood and smiled tenderly at her.

"Get dressed."

"Kakashi I would really rather..."

"It's important." He stared at her expectantly. She sighed, realizing he wouldn't take no for an answer. She nodded to him.

"Excellent. I'll be waiting." He walked out of her bedroom. She dressed slowly regretting the fact that she didn't even try to refuse. She pondered going back to bed and refusing to move a muscle no matter how hard Kakashi tried to get her out of bed. Unfortunately for her that would be equally physically and emotionally tiring. She walked out to don her winter wear and her shoes. She followed Kakashi tiredly as they made their way into town. She didn't take notice of the route they took till they entered Konoha's flower shop.

"What are we doing here?"

"We are going to pay our respects to your mother. It's customary to bring flowers." Though she had yet to meet Ino, she recognized her immediately as she entered the front of the shop from the back door. Ino looked surprised to see the two of them.

"Hello Kakashi-sensei. Can I help you?" She glanced at Emma as she spoke.

"We need a bouquet please."

"Of course. May I ask what the occasion is?" She smiled at her customers.

"We are visiting the memorial stone." Ino put her hands on her hips as she scowled at Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei you can't waste your life in front of that old boulder." She glanced over at Emma again, looking her up and down. "Though maybe you aren't." Ino paused, considering something. "I know exactly what you need." Ino busied herself building their bouquet. Emma knew that each flower had a different meaning to it. Unfortunately, she had never studied flowers and made a mental note to buy a book on flower languages. The end result was beautiful despite her lack of understanding. Bright colors of flowers she couldn't identify flowed outward in a beautifully placed half sphere. Kakashi paid for the flowers and took them from Ino's hand after she placed a ribbon around the stems to keep them in place.

Much to her surprise and embarrassment, he had turned to present the flowers to her. Her eyes raked over his form. He was clearly offering for her to take them not just admire their beauty. She glanced over at Ino, which was a mistake. The young girl had stars in her eyes. She wasn't sure if she was perceiving this as a romantic gesture or as fuel for the latest gossip or both. Detaching her eyes from Ino she blushed deeper as she took the bouquet he offered her. They left the shop to a cheerful tune from the young Yamanaka. They made their way through the streets toward the memorial stone. She spoke up as they approached it.

"Kakashi, I don't really understand what we're doing."

"I thought it would be good for you to pay your respects to your mother. Though her grave isn't here I thought this would be the next best thing." She stared at him as he looked down to the stone below. She was captivated by the seemingly simplistic gesture. He had forced her out of her mourning, bought her flowers to present to her mother and took her to a place he felt would help her grieve.

It was, quiet honestly, the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her.

She was brought out of her thoughts when he looked at her. She had only just realized she was staring at him and quickly looked away. She gently laid the flowers down at the base of the stone. She took a moment to remember her mother to honor her memory. She spared a few moments for Kakashi's loved ones. It was only then that she felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She blinked them away. Kakashi must have noticed because he wrapped a friendly arm around her shoulders. She laid her head on his shoulder again enjoying the peace he brought her.

They stood like that for several hours, lost in the comfortable quiet. Kakashi was the first to break the silence.

"There is one more place we need to go." She walked alongside him silently as they headed into town again. Kakashi was pleased to see the usual spring in her step had returned after their afternoon excursion. The morose and glassy look to her evergreen eyes had been replaced with their usual warmth and kindness. She smiled at him with a radiance that could melt the snow around them.

"Thank you Kakashi. I feel much better now."

"I'm glad to hear it." He lead them to a popular bar on one of the main streets of town. She looked at him curiously, confused as to why this was their next destination. He walked in and held the door open wide for her. She took a step inside and heard a roar of 'Happy Birthday' from the majority of the patrons. She was slightly startled by the exclamation. She looked around to all that were smiling her way. Naruto, Sai, Sakura, Lee, Guy, Tenten, Anko, Tenzo, Kureni, Asuma and Genma were all smiling at her. She looked around at all of them, confused at the situation. She looked to Kakashi smiling down at her.

"Did you organize this?"

"It was a quickly orchestrated ordeal. I didn't know till this afternoon that it was your birthday. It is important for one to celebrate such a special day. Each well wisher expresses a desire to know the person and celebrate the fact that they are alive. Essentially giving thanks that they were born and for having the privilege to know the individual."

Her heart warmed at the idea. Each person here cared for her enough to wish her well on the anniversary of her birth. By attending her surprise party they expressed a genuine desire to know her and were thankful that she was alive. Her heart nearly burst in her chest from the wonderful feelings coursing through her. She had only Kakashi to thank for it.

"Thank you Kakashi. You have no idea what this means to me." They smiled at each other before she was swept away by her well wishers. She chatted jovially with each of them as they approached her, thanking each of them for turning up and expressing her genuine surprise for the party. She was seated before several of her friends when someone placed a drink before her.

"I'm sorry but I don't drink."

"It's a special occasion. One can afford to imbibe a few drinks every once and a while." Asuma smiled at her jovially.

"It's a personal choice, Asuma. I don't drink." Genma, who she realised was the one who put the drink in front of her, spoke up.

"Well then we will just get you something different." He came back quickly with a tall glass he declared to be iced tea. She drank it easily, grateful to have something to drink. An hour later of chatting and drinking several iced teas, she felt strangely numb and fuzzy headed. She wondered if she was feeling funny because she was tired but she thought it unlikely since she had spent most of the day in bed.

Sai had wandered over to her table to wish her well on her birthday. He observed her as she attempted to shake the fuzzy feeling from her head, only succeeding in making herself dizzy as well.

"It is uncommon to see a woman put away so many drinks so quickly." She turned her gaze to him and attempted to focus on him.

"It's just tea. That's what Gemna told me." She made a face at her words. Had she said Genma or Gemna? She couldn't remember which one was the right one.

"Long island iced teas have alcohol in them. Like many other drinks one would not taste the alcohol in it." She stared at him apprehensively.

"What?" She nearly whispered the word.

"Usually when someone gets drunk on so few drinks I have learned they call that someone a cheap drunk." Her reaction was wholly unexpected. She gasped and clapped a had over her mouth as she looked at him in horror. Her reaction got the attention of Kakashi who was sitting just a table away. Hurt and tears filled her eyes as she stared at Sai. It took only a few seconds for the tears to spill over onto her cheeks.

She stood up abrupty, knocking the chair out from under her. She ran as quickly as her fuzzy mind could communicate to her weak legs out the door before anyone had said a word. Kakashi ran out the door after her not even sparing a second to glare at Sai for his tactless words. He was sure everyone else would explain to him what he did wrong, though he assumed Sakura and Naruto wouldn't be quite so gentle in their explanation. He caught up to her easily a few streets over. She staggered ungracefully through the snow covered street towards her home. She was hunched over, sobbing as she held herself. He kept pace with her as she walked.

"Emma, it's alright. Sai is just an idiot. He didn't mean to insult you. He's just clueless." She looked up at him, eyes blazing with regret and pain. He stopped her and pulled her to his chest. He stroked her back gently, attempting to comfort her. Her muscles were tense under his fingers. Unlike the other times he held her close that day, she did not relax. She allowed their close proximity but kept herself at a distance emotionally.

"He's right." The words came out between sobs. "I'm cheap." A whine escaped her throat and her sobs redoubled.

"You're not. You are the furthest thing from it." She needed to get home. Leaving her coat in the bar was causing her temperature to drop rapidly. He picked her up and walked at a brisk pace toward home. The wind from running would be far too cold for her and the rapid movements may upset her stomach. She lay limp in his arms staring over his shoulder with the same dead eyes he saw that very morning, once again lost in her memories. She shook lightly though he was unsure if the cause was emotional or physical.

"I am cheap Kakashi. You just don't know it. That's why I never had friends." He voice was hauntingly devoid of emotion. "I had a boyfriend once, just after I turned 15. He was the popular kid in school. Everyone thought he was crazy for befriending and dating the social outcast. He was so sweet to me, everything that a gentleman should be. He complimented me, pulled out my chair, defended me, he made me feel beautiful. I even became friends with his friends for a few months. Those were the best months of my life. I loved him so much. He was the first person to ever make me happy and to never let me down. I didn't want..." She paused as a shuddering breath passed through her. "I didn't want to move on with our relationship yet. But he was so sure of everything. He was sure of 'us'. It hurt a lot and it was over so quickly. He changed immediately after that. He said he didn't love me, that it was just a bet between his friends and I was stupid to believe anything he said. He just walked out before he had all his clothes back on."

Kakashi groaned inwardly. Teenage boys were the cruelest and most arrogant beings anywhere. It seemed this one was worse than others. A teenage psychopath out to tear down the hopes of the nearly hopeless in the most heartless manner possible. The boy that did this was lucky he didn't live in the same world as Kakashi, for there were few things he was unwilling to do if he could get his hands on the boy.

"20 dollars." He was brought out of his thoughts at her words.

"What?" A moment of hesitancy passed before she answered.

"My virginity, dignity and months of my life was worth 20 dollars. That is how much their bet was for." Decades of experience hiding his emotions came in handy in this situation. While he was still busy imagining all the ways he could torture someone he didn't let his face betray him. Even if it was only to keep from scaring her, he kept his emotions from presenting themselves and attempted to repress them further into the back of his mind for when he was alone.

He set her feet down, opened the door and carried her into her bedroom. He set her down gently on the bed and made to remove her shoes. She recoiled violently as he touched her ankle. Green eyes stared at him in fear and apprehension as her limbs curled closer to her in protection. With her mind hazy from the alcohol and the memories of her betrayal so clear in her mind she was perceiving him as a threat. He held his hands up for her to see just as new tears built up in her eyes.

"It's alright. I'm not going to hurt you. I won't do anything you don't want me to. Your temperature is very low and it will be easier to warm you up without so many layers. If you think you can undress yourself and cover yourself in bed I can come back when you are done."

She considered his words through her muddy mind and nodded.

"Alright. I will be back when you are done." The door closed behind him with a sharp snap. She clumsily toed off her shoes and wiggled herself out of her pants from laying down on the bed. She was unwilling to attempt to stand on her tired and wobbly legs. With her luck she would only end up on her face half naked on the floor when he walked back in. She pulled off her shirt and socks leaving herself only in her bra and panties and tugged the covers over her all the way up to her chin. Her hands clutched the bedding as if they would betray her and fall down towards her feet.

A polite and careful knock sounded at the door. He waited till she called him in and brought a cup of hot tea for her. She still watched him anxiously, not quite sure what to do or think.

"I brought you tea. It will help warm you up." She took the cup gingerly and sat up only enough to sip from the cup. She seemed suddenly prudish in the way that she was unwilling for him to see more than just her face and wrist. The cup was drained in a matter of seconds and placed on the nightstand.

"That's what I was talking about before... about my friends betraying me. After that night the people I thought were my friends confirmed his story and spread the lies that I was a cheap whore. The things they said about me were terrible. They said I wasn't worth it, that 'cheap' was too good a word for me. He said I would end up like my father. I only told him about my father in confidence." Tears welled up in her eyes again. Her voice was thick with sorrow and sobs that interrupted her words. "He told everyone about my f-father and he said I would end up exactly like him. A drunken f-failure. I tried so hard not to be like him. I never drank. I never w-want to be like h-him." Her sobs turned to gasps of air and wheezes as her lungs tried to empty themselves in her urgent pleas.

"I don't... w-want... to be... l-like... my... father!" She begged him desperately. Her emotionally state had gone beyond sobs and went straight into a panic attack. She gasped in short breaths as if she couldn't fill her lungs with enough air. She forced out the air painfully, lost in her emotions and memories. He grabbed her shoulders to sit her up and sat facing her on the bed. He grabbed the sides of her face firmly between his hands and forced her to look at him.

"Emma look at me." He was being as gentle as possible while trying to talk above her gasps. Tears rolled down her cheeks in her blind terror.

"You are not your father. You will never be like your father." Her somber eyes turned downward in her disbelief.

"Emma, listen to me." His words were more firm as he tried to get through to her. "You told me you trusted me. You put your faith in me and I have never let you down. Believe me when I say you are not your father. You didn't mean to drink tonight. It wasn't your decision. This one night doesn't make you into your father. Understand?" She nodded into his hands. He began wiping away the tears with his thumbs. "You are not your father. You are not cheap. You are an amazing and beautiful woman." Her next gasp for air was accompanied with a notable air of unease and her eyes darted away from his.

"Look at me. Look at me." He spoke softly as she hesitated to oblige. Another brush of his thumb across her cheek and her eyes sought his.

"I know now why you don't take compliments well. It's the same reason you don't trust easily. The one person you trusted and showered you with affection threw away your trust as soon as he got what he wanted. You can't believe a word he said to you. You are worth so much more." Her breaths were coming in slightly shorter increments.

"Breathe, just breathe nice and slow." There was a short shaky breath in and a strained breath out. He smiled at her, glad she was making progress.

"No one told you how wonderful you are have they?" She shook her head, making herself more dizzy. He reminded her to breathe. He continued with his praising of her as it seemed to be bringing her out of her panic.

"You are the kindest and most thoughtful person I have ever had the pleasure to know. I would still be living off of ramen if you hadn't come along. You're stronger than I ever was when I was alone. You have made it all on your own without the help of friends like I had." Her evergreen eyes glistened like emeralds from her tears as she stared at him. Her hands moved up to cover his hands on her face. She held them in place desperately as if he was the only thing keeping her grounded. At this point that was exactly what he had become to her. She stared into his lone onyx eye as her breathing slowly calmed to more controlled sobs.

Her right hand lifted away from his. Tentatively, she reached forward and cupped the side of his face. Seeing no sign of disapproval in his gaze she pushed up his hitae-ate to reveal his scarred eye. The tomoe spun lazily as he fixed his gaze on her.

"Can you make me forget? It haunts me. I don't want to remember anymore. Can you, please?"

He looked at her sadly. He wished he was capable of helping her forget her past. He would help her if he could.

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"Don't leave. Just... please don't leave." He nodded. He removed his jacket and shoes and climbed into the side of the bed that she offered to him. She tucked herself comfortably under his arm, using his chest as a pillow. She rested her hand across his stomach as Kakashi lifted his own to wrap around her back to pull her in right next to him.

"Thank you, Kakashi, for everything." He placed a kiss at the crown of her head through his mask. He felt a smile tugging at her lips as she sighed and fell asleep. Kakashi allowed himself a small smile before he closed his eyes and let sleep overcome him.

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Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

The last chapter was focused on Emma but this one will be focused more on Kakashi. Thank you all for your amazing reviews! I'm glad to see so many people are enjoying this.

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Upon waking up the next day the first thing Emma felt was warmth. In the dead of winter she didn't get to wake up as delightfully warm as she did today. She next discovered that there was an uncomfortable throbbing in her head. Unwilling to leave the warmth of her bed, she snuggled determinedly into the pillow she already held and groaned, only to have her pillow move and groan back at her. Frightened and shocked, she pushed herself away and fell right out of the bed to the floor with a clumsy thump. She groaned in pain and looked up to see the masked face of Kakashi looking down at her curiously. The next few things she processed with a speed that would have made any ninja proud.

Kakashi was in her bed. Her bed of all things! She was obviously hung over and she knew those two facts didn't go well together. With a quick glance at herself she realised she was still covered by her underwear. Considering she had just woken up with a man in her bed after a drunken night she thought the odds were good that nothing sexual happened that she didn't remember. Though the most embarrassing fact was that she was laying half naked right in front of Kakashi. She could feel her face turning red as he continued to stare at her. She attempted to hide as much of herself as she could as she nearly ran to her dresser for a new set of clothes. Every nerve ending in her body came alive under his stare. She grabbed haphazardly in the drawers and rushed off to the bathroom.

She showered and stewed over all the details from last night. Her head fell in her hands as she remembered everything she had said last night. She and Kakashi were getting much closer now and she was working up the courage to tell him about her father, ex-boyfriend and friends. She didn't regret telling him but she had wanted it to be under her own terms, not as a result of alcohol loosening her lips. She didn't want to turn into a blubbering mess in front of him either. She just wanted to confide in him why her past had effected her so much in the present, to let him know all the secrets she had. That's what friends were for, right? She dressed and walked out to the kitchen. Kakashi was there, fully dressed, eating from one of two plates of left overs he must have heated himself. She sat down in front of the other plate.

"How are you feeling?" She kept her gaze fixed on her food as she picked at it, continuing with her courtesy of not looking at his face.

"I have a head ache. The shower made it a bit better."

"Drink some more water. It will help."

"I'm sorry for turning into an emotional wreck last night. I didn't mean to fall apart on you like that. I had been meaning to tell you everything, just not... like that." She finished lamely.

"It's no trouble. It's out in the open now. I imagine that it was better for you to get the emotions out of your system. It's obvious they have been building up for a long time. Do you feel better now that it is done and over with?"

"I feel like I never knew I was carrying the weight of the world and all of a sudden it's gone. It feels freeing."

"I'm glad I could be there to help you." Her smile radiated warmth through him. Something struck him as different as he drank in her expression. He looked at her as he tried to decipher it. Her features were the same as always. Her jovial smile was the same as it was yesterday after he succeeded in cheering her up. He stared into shining rings of evergreen. They were speckled lightly with colors of green from mint to clover. The multicolored facets were heavily ringed in deep olive. It wasn't so much the look of her eyes that had changed but the feel of them. They had softened heavily as if the burdens of the world were lifted from her shoulders. The eyes were truly the window to the soul. In this moment hers spoke of unwavering trust towards him. From this point on she would be able to trust him without question and he would be able to see her every emotion through her eyes.

"I hope you have some idea of how much I appreciate all you have done for me. When I think back to who I was before I met you I feel like I'm a completely new person. You have helped me more than I can ever express and I can't thank you enough." He sent her a genuine smile.

"What are friends for?"

"Still, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Kakashi." She sent him another smile after her emphatic words. Without the burning dread of her past weighing her down she lit up the room with her sincerity. He was struck suddenly by how she looked then. Her brown hair had darkened from the shower and hung in tangled waves across her back and shoulders. It shined from the sun that fell on her through the window, creating an angelic glow around her head. The sun highlighted her pale features in sharp contrast to her dark eyes and hair. Even just waking up she looked wonderful.

He shook himself mentally and berated himself. He was too busy thinking how she looked right after they had woken up from sleeping together. Admittedly, there had been no sexual intent that night, they were merely unconscious next to each other. He had been letting that fact cloud his mind and color his perception. He was upset with himself for only seeing her beauty with his eyes and failing to see how beautiful she was on the inside. Her intangible qualities far outweighed anything as temporary as her looks. The way her face would light up and her eyes would sparkle in interest when she spoke about something she loved could have anyone hanging on her every word. The way that she cared for everyone so deeply that she wouldn't dare refuse anyone in need spoke of the strength of her character.

On a more personal level he found her traits to be particularly complimentary to his own life. She knew his past in minute detail and never bought it up for the silent understanding that he didn't want to talk about it. She also accepted every facet of his life and had never let it color her opinion of him. She had taken his quirks and held them close to her heart, silently encouraging him and telling him that everything that irritated everyone else made him unique and loved. The way she cared for him on a level that was beyond being a regular house keeper had endeared him to her. She cooked for him and cared for his well being, ensuring he was never wounded for long. He would occasionally sneak glances at her when they read on the couch together. He enjoyed seeing her face change with nearly every sentence she read. The giggles she would try to repress in the quiet of their reading time as she came across something she enjoyed always had him smiling to himself.

She had come to trust him with every aspect of her life and he knew how much that meant to her. Every moment together and every terrible event that happened had made both of them who they were today. He could not, would not, appreciate her for only her looks when she had so much more to appreciate on the inside. She was wonderful inside and out. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul.

That was the moment Kakashi realised he was in deep trouble.

He had never thought so much of someone before in his life. The uncomfortable feeling that crept up in his chest as he thought of Emma had confused and frightened him worse than any battle ever fought.

"Kakashi? Are you okay? You suddenly look very pale." Eyes he had just been waxing poetic about looked at him in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine," he stated in a clipped fashion. "I just remembered I have to go." She rolled her eyes at him with a smile.

"You are always in such a hurry to be late." She spoke endearingly of his tardy traits. He gave her his signature eye crinkle before flashing away without another word.

He didn't actually have to go anywhere. He just needed to get out of there so he could think clearly. He appeared in his apartment just a second later and stood staring at the floor as he considered everything he had just realised. He shook his head attempting to clear his it. He busied himself with the simple tasks of showering and getting dressed for the day but was unable to rid his mind of the plague that was his thoughts. He made his usual trek through town to the memorial stone and stood before it like so many times before.

This time however, his mind was wandering over the present and the future rather than being lost in the past the way he usually was. He ran a hand through his hair thinking about Emma. Their situation was far from normal. They had grown closer over the months of his mission to protect her. Without realizing it he had made it part of his daily routine to not only check on her as his mission required but to include her in his day to day activities.

Many days he had spent listening to her cleaning his apartment. Often times his eyes would not move from the page he was reading as he was too distracted by her making her own music as she cleaned. She alternated from singing to whistling and humming various songs he had never heard.

They had spent many meals, most of them prepared by herself, simply chatting amicably about various topics. Whenever he left on missions he found that he was always excited to return and somewhat reluctant to leave on another. With each passing mission she was on his mind more and more. At the beginning he had simply told himself that he was worried for her safety and therefore the safety of the village for the secrets she held. But each time he laid in the dirt to rest for the night, rather than a few walls away from her, he found himself thinking of her. The missions he went on were easily worth the face-splitting smile she bestowed upon him each time he returned. Knowing that he was the one to bring her such joy gave him the energy to sit and talk with her rather than fall face first on his bed and sleep through the next day.

He bowed his head to stare at a name on the stone.

"What am I doing, Obito?"

He didn't know what he should do from here. He wasn't sure what he wanted or when he should allow himself to want. He had denied himself so many opportunities when he lived only to protect the village. He didn't want to get close to anyone after he lost everyone that was important to him. But Emma had come in and ruined that plan. The fact that he didn't have to explain his past to her and how that made him who he was, was an enormous relief. She had grown on him like the sun shined down on him. The longer he stood in their presence the more he was enveloped in their light and warmth.

His eyes moved down to the bouquet Emma had placed there yesterday. It was kept remarkably preserved in the cold air of late January. He thought about everything she had told him about her past. She was kept sheltered from the evils of this world but they still seemed to find her just the same. Her mother's death was an accident. Her father's negligence forced her to mature faster than any other civilian should. But her ex-boyfriend should have been an avoidable tragedy in her young life. A young girl that had already lost a parent and a childhood had been tricked into giving away the most precious gift a girl could own. This final loss had caused her to loose her faith in humanity, unable to trust anyone for the smallest task for the fear of even a small let down would be too much to bear.

Too afraid of the pain, she had shut herself up like a clam in a shell. She gave out nothing therefore received nothing and shrank until her life was a mere living death.

Knowing that he had helped to bring her out of that state gave him hope that wanting to be with her was not the selfish act he had previously assumed.

Could he allow himself to want her?

That was the big question. Could he chance another loss of someone he cared for? How much more of himself could he risk being torn away if he got hurt again? He cared for her. There was no doubt about that. He had lost people before: friends, teammates, his father, his sensei. He had never lost someone that he-

He shook his head violently. Until he made up his mind he couldn't afford to think that word. He needed time to think. He needed to think about everything that he was willing to lose for the chance to gain something potentially wonderful.

He began speaking aloud to the stone, hoping to derive some sort of peace of mind and insight from verbalizing his situation to his old teammate and friend. He stayed there long into the afternoon and evening. He spoke to his friend of all his worries and fears, his hesitancy and reasons behind everything. He also promised that he would look upon her with his borrowed eye so Obito could see the brilliance of her smile the way he did. He apologized that the only time he had looked at her with Obito's eye was last night when she was crying. Finally, he told of the beautiful soul that was hidden behind those tear stained orbs.

He tried to imagine what Obito would say to him after he confessed everything that was on his mind. He would probably tell Kakashi to take the direct route and make his intentions clear. He scrubbed a hand down his masked face. Things were never that easy. He explained to the stone before him of her past in greater detail. She had been hurt in that aspect before and seemed to have resigned herself to a lonely life, not unlike his own, for the fear of being hurt again. She had only recently began to trust him deeply. After a decade of never trusting another person she had, reluctantly, trusted him. If he broke her trust it was likely she would never trust anyone again for as long as she lived. The matter of stating his intentions wouldn't be easy either. It could be likely she was uninterested for numerous reasons. If he changed the social paradigm between them she may revert back to her self conscious state that she had worked hard to get away from.

Despite everything that would be working against him and every reason not to, he still wanted her. Having spent most of the day at the stone he was hungry and cold. Most importantly, he had a few things to accomplish before he went home.

* * *

He made his way to a familiar apartment and knocked on the door. A few minutes of impatiently waiting and he heard, before he saw, the occupant opening the door. Genma's face appeared in the crack of the door and looked around in interest.

"Hey, Kakashi. What-" His voice died in his throat as Kakashi pushed the door open and stepped through the door way.

Genma's offence might have been minor compared to that of Emma's ex-boyfriend but in Kakashi's mind, he would prove to be an excellent proxy for his anger. Proxy or not, he needed to be taught a lesson. He didn't speak a word as he glared down at the man in question. Never having been on the receiving end of Kakashi's deadly glare, even without the help of the sharingan, he learned in that moment why Kakashi's name was renowned and synonymous with fear.

When he wanted to be, he was terrifying. In that moment, Genma could do nothing but watch in horrified anticipation as Kakashi slowly made his way inside and closed the door with a heavy thud.

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Please review! The scene with Genma was only written after a few people suggested it. So, that is a little something from me to you.


	12. Chapter 12

It's a bit later in the day than I usually post. I'm sorry for that. I hope you all enjoy the newest chapter. Thanks to all that have responded to this story. I never thought it would be this popular, especially so quickly. This is another very important chapter that I know you have been waiting for a long time.

* * *

Kakashi shut the door to Genma's apartment with a snap as he left and dusted off his hands in the manner of a job well done with a tangible air of a man satisfied with his work. He smiled to himself and in no time at all he was onto the last of his business for the day. He stood at the door to the Hokage's office and entered when he heard Tsunade's call.

"What do you want Kakashi?"

"I want you to end Emma's protection mission." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. She was obviously not expecting that.

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Since she arrived here in the fall there hasn't been a single instance where she was attacked or even suspected of being anything other than what her cover story states. She has successfully integrated herself into Konoha without anyone suspecting an ulterior motive to her residence. She has also proven to be able to keep quiet about the secrets she possesses. I believe she isn't in any danger nor is she a threat to the village."

Expert honey eyes raked his form as she dissected his words.

"Why else? Don't bullshit me, I know you have another reason."

"I want her to know that I am not obligated to be around her. It will help her understand that I genuinely care for her." Her eyes closed as she took in his words and the words he hadn't said.

"You of all people don't need to be lectured on the personal relationships of a shinobi. So, I won't bother telling you things you already know. If you think she will be safe then there is no reason for you to be her official protector anymore. Make sure she understands that she has to stay inside the walls of Konoha, just to be safe. If you suspect anything is amiss, report it immediately."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

He left to go home, eager to eat and tell Emma the news. He appeared at her kitchen table and began reading his book. Over the months she had gotten a better sense of knowing when he walked into the room unannounced. Less than a minute ticked by before she looked up from the book she was reading to scan the room for him. After marking her place, she stood from the couch and began to make dinner. She understood from previous times that when he appeared at her table he was silently asking to be fed, despite the fact that he had plenty of food in his own home, just a wall away. She even prepared food for him so he only had to use the microwave to heat it up. At the times she brought it up he merely explained that her food tasted better when she was the one to place it in front of him.

She had long since learned not to argue with Kakashi over his little quirks.

Each of them shared what they did that day. Kakashi mentioned he had visited the memorial stone though he left out why he had gone there. She had been around to a few of her clients' homes. Sakura had apparently left her a note and a wrapped present for her belated birthday. She had also received a card signed by everyone at her birthday party, courtesy of Sakura. She had a very tense few moments with Sai when he apologized for whatever had upset her the previous day.

"He did apologize but I could tell Sakura had a hand in it again because he didn't ask questions about why I had been upset. She must have told him not to." She set two bowls of miso soup down on the table and joined him to eat.

"Again?" Kakashi questioned.

"Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you. I didn't realize he was in the shower one of the times that I was cleaning his apartment. He started to ask a lot of questions about why my face turned red when he walked out wearing nothing but a towel. When I tried to explain he must have misunderstood because he started to remove the towel and said something about a deeper emotional connection." Her face was a light pink from the memory. "So I ran away. When Sakura found out about it she beat some sense into him then made him apologize to me." Kakashi wasn't sure if he wanted to sigh or chuckle. His team was certainly different.

"I know that he is still learning to be normal but I thought that he would have learned a few of the basics by now."

"That depends on your definition of normal."

"Well he definitely fits the definition of normal for your team."

Remembering the promise he made earlier he pulled off his hitai-ate and set it on the table. He made a show of relaxing in his chair as if he took off his forehead protector only to unwind for the day. Though, the truth of the matter was that he wanted to look at her with his sharingan without it seeming suspicious. She only raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior but decided not to worry about it.

"I have news."

"News?" She asked dryly.

"The mission to protect you has been discontinued. As long as you keep your secrets to yourself and stay in Konoha we don't see any reason for unnecessary security measures."

"Oh." The word seemed awkward. She nodded as she stared down at the table. "So," she began, "what do we do now?"

"Just about the same thing we have been doing, I suppose. Right now I suggest we read on your couch." He relocated himself from the table to the couch in his usual spot on the left side. She cleaned the dishes before she joined him, sitting on the right side. No sooner had she picked up her book than she felt something in her lap. Kakashi was using her legs as a pillow as he laid himself out on her couch.

"Kakashi?"

"Hmm?" He didn't take his eyes off of the book in front of his face.

"What are you doing?"

"Resting, of course."

"Uh..." Her cheeks were slightly pink.

"Would you like me to move?"

"No. It's fine. I just... didn't expect it." She opened her book and quickly lost herself in a new world. As soon as she did, she stopped noticing anything that wasn't from the book in her hand. She failed to see Kakashi looking up at her with both of his eyes as he watched her face change. She didn't seem to realize that with every few sentences her expression would change based on how she felt about each passage. As he continued to watch her he cataloged her expressions for himself as well as Obito.

He saw amusement, hesitancy, shock, sadness, adoration, joy, curiosity and a bit of annoyance. A few times she smiled down at the book and he caught the look to be burned into his memory from the sharingan.

Absentmindedly, she reached down and ran her hand through his hair. Her fingers slid through his silvery locks from his forehead back. The strands tugged gently as her nails scratched lightly against his scalp. He let out a short sigh and felt himself relaxing deeper into the couch. His eyes closed as she continued to weave her fingers through his hair. His body relaxed under her ministrations and he felt himself being lulled into a half conscious state.

He was brought out of it suddenly when she let out a tiny gasp of surprise and he felt her tense. He looked up at her questioningly. Her expression was apprehensive and apologetic.

"I'm sorry. I'm used to petting Pakkun and Bull while your gone. I wasn't thinking."

"No need to be sorry. If I had wanted you to stop I could have asked. Actually, I liked it."

"Really?" He nodded once. She ran the same hand through his hair hesitantly, as if it were foreign and strange to her.

"I..." She began to speak before shutting her mouth as if thinking better of it.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing. I just had a strange thought, nothing important."

"Tell me then, please?" As if the word were truly magic, she spoke.

"I think by the first week I spent here I came in contact with you more than I think I have with anyone else in a long time. When you hugged me at Christmas, that was the first hug I received in a few years."

"You don't have to hide yourself away anymore."

"I know. You know what they say about old dogs and new tricks though."

"You are definitely old." He said with a smile.

"Hey, I'm not that old."

"You said it, not me. It's not my fault people think you are older than you are."

"What about you, old man?" She tugged harder on his hair. "You are the one with gray hair." He narrowed his eyes playfully.

"It's silver, not gray."

"What ever you say, old man."

"The position for my sugar baby remains open if you are interested." He teased. She laughed heartily remembering the second day she had come here when they had teased each other about the same things. Finding no appropriate answer, she kept silent.

"Do you want to go out to eat?" His question was sudden and unexpected.

"What? Now?"

"Of course."

"We just ate an hour ago and it's already dark."

"Do you do anything without carefully planning it out first? Live a little." She shook her head at him.

"Alright. But only because I know you won't give up until you get your way." She dressed quickly and walked out to see him leaning against the door. Upon seeing her approach he held out his arm to her, not moving from his position at the door. She looked at him in amusement.

"Do you walk anywhere?"

"Sometimes." He moved his arm impatiently at her and she took it. They flashed to one of the busier streets of Konoha and began walking. Kakashi felt his chest swell with masculine pride when she didn't let go of his arm. He lead her to a tea house he knew to work late hours and they were seated in a private room by a grandfatherly old man.

She took in the traditional decor from her place at the low table. She was still busy looking around when the man came back with their order.

"This place is nice. I've never been to a tea house before."

"Never?"

"There were no tea houses where I lived." There was a lull in the conversation when they both drank from their cups. They both ate and drank what Kakashi had ordered and he insisted on paying the bill.

"Consider it my birthday gift to you."

"With everything that happened I forgot that it was just yesterday." He offered his arm to her as they left.

"Can we walk this time? That's not too civilian for you is it?" Kakashi heaved a melodramatic sigh.

"If we must." She grabbed the arm he had not yet dropped and they sauntered on down the street.

"This was really nice, Kakashi. Thank you."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"You know you remind me of a man from a story back home."

"I thought I was a man from a story to you already." She chuckled softly.

"You were but I just thought of this famous story called the Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom is this dark, mysterious man that hides behind a mask. He's revered as a genius, though, his expertise extends to music rather than fighting like you. He was also seen as a dangerous monster because of his face. He had a facial deformity that landed him in a freak show where he was constantly abused and laughed at. He fled to the opera house when he killed the man that imprisoned him. In the end, the woman he loved chose another man over him. She didn't refuse him because of his looks but who he was at heart. The years of loneliness had turned his genius to madness. The Phantom had almost killed her lover to force her to choose him. Despite the fact that she still chose her lover and still thought the Phantom to be a monster, he still let them both go."

"How exactly does that remind you of me?"

"Well you are both dark, mysterious and dangerous geniuses that wear masks. I thought a lot about the story when I was trying to figure out why you wore a mask all the time. Though, I believe now that your reasons are very different."

"You thought I was actually handsome but I wore my mask because of my father."

"I never said I thought you were handsome. I told you that's what other people think of you." She teased him.

"You were the one that called me dark and mysterious."

"Dark and mysterious do not equal handsome."

"You're right, though."

"Of course I am. The words aren't synonyms."

"I meant about my mask. I started to wear it because I was ashamed to look like my father after he failed his mission. After I realised there is more to being a shinobi than the rule book I was ashamed to look like him after I had dishonored his memory for so long."

"So, it's not at all because you like teasing everyone?" Kakashi's laughter replaced his solemn tone as it rang around them.

"Well, my team provide too much amusement when they try too hard."

They were almost to their apartment building before Kakashi pulled her to a stop.

"Kaka-" He silenced her with a finger to her lips. She felt embarrassed as she considered the situation. They stood in a low lit, uninhabited street after what some could consider a date. He had stopped her and silenced her very gently.

From all the romance novels she read she assumed this would be the part where the handsome hero kisses the female protagonist. She felt her heart begin to pound and her eyes went wide. She felt a strange combination of relief and disappointment when she realised he had silenced her because he was listening intently to their surroundings. No sooner had she realised this than two green suits appeared before her in an exuberant display of confetti and balloons.

Lee and Guy must have woke the neighborhood from to sheer volume of a birthday declaration in her honor. Something, she was sure, only these two men could have pulled off. She was sure they were the only ones to think of such a thing as well.

"You ran out of the bar so soon last night, Lee and I didn't get a chance to present you with your present." Guys teeth gleamed even in the darkness. "We prepared a special dance number just for you an honor just for the birthday girl."

She was attempting to not look absolutely horrified at her so called "gift". Her teeth clenched tightly as she tried to find something to say that would dissuade the two dark haired shinobi to not do exactly what they were planning to do, in the street no less! Before she could consider more than a few options for escape, Kakashi stepped forward.

"Sorry, Guy, but your present will have to wait. I'm not done giving her my present yet." He put his right arm around her as he raised his left hand up in his usual manner. He gave both men a polite, though smug, smile. "Bye." They had flashed away in a puff of smoke before either of the stranded men could argue.

Emma blinked a few times as she tried to come to terms with the sudden displacement. She had her back pressed up against something rough and scratchy- a tree, she soon realised. They were several stories up in a tree. Kakashi had his hands firmly pressed against the tree on either side of her shoulders and his front pressed to her, keeping her from falling off the branch. She followed his gaze down below them. Off in the distance, she could see Guy and Lee shouting before racing off in different directions.

"They will be off to find you now. We should stay here until they are done checking our apartments." He stood back and helped her sit down on the branch. She kept a determined grip on his arm until he chuckled and wrapped his arm around her to anchor her better to him and therefore the branch. She kept a tight grip on his jacket nonetheless, determined not to be brainless enough to lean forward and fall at least 3 stories. Her left side was meshed tightly against his right side. She felt her face heat and her skin tingle in contact with his.

"Thank you for saving me from that."

"It was obvious you didn't want to stick around for that."

"I will never understand how you can read people so easily."

"You make it too easy. Your jaw locks up when you are uncomfortable."

"You can read me like a book and I can't tell anything about you."

"You just have to get to know me better." She snorted derisively.

"You can practically read my mind. I doubt I could even tell what mood you are in let alone what you are thinking. Though, if I had to guess I would say something relating to Icha Icha."

He smiled brightly at her and pulled out his faithful paperback friend.

"You read my mind." She laughed at his theatrics and nudged him playfully.

"What's your favorite color?" She questioned.

"Hmm?"

"You said I should get to know you. I have to start somewhere. So, what's your favorite color?"

"Orange." He waved his book at her as though it were obvious. She rolled her eyes.

"I should have guessed."

"What about you?"

"Blue."

They went back and forth asking mundane questions about the other for several hours. They burned the midnight oil as they talked and laughed together on their lone tree branch. She was glad that he held her so close, she might have froze in the cold weather if he hadn't.

"I think it's safe to say they won't find us tonight. I think we can go home now."

"Fine by me. Care to help me down from here?" He kept his right arm around her and slid his left arm underneath her legs before casually slipping off the branch. She let out a startled squeal and flung her arms around him for safety. They landed lightly on the ground below.

"Remind me some other time that you and trees are not something I want to be around. That was almost as terrifying as the first day I came here."

"So little faith in me." He sighed dramatically.

"No, little faith in the gravity and it's relation to the ground." He set her down and they walked the short distance to their apartments. She let herself and Kakashi into her home, taking off her shoes and hanging up her coat as she spoke.

"Was your gift to me supposed to be you saving me from Lee and Guy?" Remembering his parting words to the two men, he shook his head.

"No."

"What is it then?"

"Someone is eager." He teased her.

"Aw, come on. I'm sure I would like anything you gave me. If it is anything like your last gift then I am sure I will love reading it."

"It's not a book." She pouted slightly. "Close your eyes." She didn't hesitate. She trusted him too much to think twice. She stood quietly for a few seconds listening to the slight rustlings of him moving. She felt his hands at her waist, pulling her to him as he stepped forward. Her curiosity was quickly replaced with something... more.

She felt his lips touch hers. She gasped and he tilted her head back at a more comfortable angle. His uncovered lips moved like silk against hers. He held her to him tightly, desperately. She threw her arms around his neck and melted into his embrace. Their lips broke and connected repeatedly and her legs began to grow weak. He pushed her back till she was supported by the door, slamming her a little too roughly in his haste. She gasped again as her head hit the door, jarring her. His hand was behind her head in an instant, caressing her and tilting her head to take advantage of her open mouth. His tongue slip past her lips. She sighed as she felt the sweet stroking of his tongue against hers. His hand burned like fire as it roamed her sides and back, learning her inch by inch. Her own hands pressed tightly against his head forcing him to deepen the kiss and kiss her harder than he had been.

His next breath was accompanied by a guttural groan that sounded distinctly like the growl of a possessive animal. He grabbed her thigh roughly, digging his calloused fingers into her soft flesh. He jerked her thigh up to cover his own, pressing himself tighter against her. She moaned as she felt the glorious pressure of his body on hers.

Suddenly, her leg dropped down and by the time she opened her eyes, all she could see were a few wisps of smoke.

Kakashi had kissed her and what a kiss it had been! She felt wide awake though guessed it was well passed midnight. She was shaky, jittery as if she had too much energy. She shook herself violently to get rid of some energy but found it wasn't nearly enough. She felt an uncomfortable tightness in her belly that she had never felt before. It was as if the butterflies in her stomach had taken steroids. The tense feeling wouldn't go away. After a shower and a few minutes of reading to distract herself, she gave up and tried to sleep.

* * *

Kakashi appeared in his apartment and immediately began tearing at his clothes on his way to the coldest shower the pipes could give him. For a brief moment he had lost the precious control over himself and had taken things too far with Emma. He had intended to only give her a chaste kiss. But she had been so tempting and accommodating and he had wanted so badly to continue.

Had she not been so inexperienced, and he so hesitant due to her past, he would have continued. He would have given her anything she would have asked for. She had only ever had one sexual experience, one that left her far from eager for more. He had to take things slow with her. He couldn't have her assuming all men were like her ex-boyfriend, especially after she came to trust him so wholeheartedly. He needed to take things slow, a snail's pace if necessary. He needed to show her that he was in this for the long run not just a few awkwardly stolen moments. She was the kind of woman that was worth the wait.

She hadn't had sex in a decade. He snorted to himself under the shower head. Even if it took a decade to convince her, he could wait. What was ten years when he could have forever with her?

He had nearly taken her against that door, plans and romance be damned. The way she pulled him to her and aligned her body with his was perfection. With each connection of his lips to hers he could feel the threads of his control snap one by one. Even when he stopped her from collapsing by pushing her against the door, he hadn't stopped. Feeling her between a hard surface and himself had proved to be the greatest high. When she had hit her head, something that had been his fault, he should have stopped. But that delectable mouth had opened for him and it was nothing but fuel for the fire inside him. And each time he could have, should have, stopped she melted against him and pulled him to her like a moth to a flame. Her gentle hands turned firm as she urged him on. Her hands had sang promises to him. They urged him to touch her and feel her as the music of her pulse called to him to ravish her. His blood raged though him as he held her close. Her sighs screamed at him to kiss her and caress her. Her moan had begged him to take her with a need he was loathe to deny. The world had fallen away as he held her to him and in that moment nothing else mattered.

Only the thought of her well being had coerced him to stop. With the help of the sharingan he had taken in her every detail in the brief second he stole before he left. Her mussed hair, lidded eyes, lips red from his kisses, weak knees and arms reaching out to stop him were a sight he was reluctant to ignore. He had to leave that very second or he wouldn't have been able to leave at all. He would have stayed and let her body sing to him of its every need. He would have catered to her every command, be it verbal or physical. Even his overly sensitive nose could tell her body was readying itself for him to play it like an instrument.

He stepped out of the shower after he had calmed down and climbed into bed immediately after dressing himself. He was glad that he made progress with Emma, even though he didn't tell her anything of how he felt for her. He had already made a big step in the right direction and decided that was more than enough for the day.

He gave in for the night and fell asleep.

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Please tell me what you think in a review!


	13. Chapter 13

I can now say with confidence that there will be 22 chapters to this story. So we are a little over halfway. The best is yet to come for Emma and Kakashi's romance! Please enjoy the newest chapter.

Thank you all for your reviews!I smile every time I get to read a new one. I am continually astounded at the amount of people that are reading this story. It's all thanks to you, my dear readers!

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 _He heard a scream from his apartment. He ran to the next apartment and kicked in Emma's bedroom door._

 _"Kakashi!" She cried for him as Kisame Hoshigaki knocked her out and slung her over his shoulder. He moved forward to attack but was met with the sight of none other than Itachi Uchiha. Black and red consumed his vision as he was put under a deep genjutsu. When he awoke he searched the village for hours trying to find a trace of them._

 _It must have been months later when he found her deep in the bowels of a stronghold used by the Akatsuki. He would never forget how she looked the first time he laid his eyes on her after months of searching. She was severely emaciated, dirty and weak. She had obviously been starved and never allowed a bath. The old and new wounds were dirty and weeping as though each one had never properly healed. Her hair was coated in blood, some parts dry and flaky while others were still fresh. Her already pale face was ghostly white under the dirt and grime that covered her skin._

 _The cell door creaked loudly as he pushed it open. The sound reverberated around the silent dungeons. Her eyes flew open at the sound and she immediately began cowering away from the door with a strength that was obviously failing her._

 _"Emma, it's alright. It's me." She began shaking in the corner of the room as she pressed herself tightly against the cold stone walls._

 _"No. No. NO!"_

 _"Emma, it's alright. I'm here to bring you home." He stepped forward pleading her to understand, but only succeeded in increasing her panic._

 _"Stop!" He grabbed her arms gently as she flung them in front of her to shield herself._

 _"Emma," he begged._

 _"Don't touch me! Let go!" She screamed. He did not obey and she began sobbing. Each sound tore through his heart like a kunai._

 _"Emma, it's me. It's Kakashi."_

 _"I begged you to find me!" She yelled at him. "I trusted you! You were supposed to save me!" She looked at him for the first time. Her eyes were blank, broken. It was as if the woman he loved was no longer there. He had finally admitted to himself that he loved her when she had been taken. He couldn't deny it when he felt so strongly for her and why it pained him more than it should knowing that she was no doubt being tortured._

 _Her movement was reopening the wounds that had desperately tried to close. Each was draining her of the little blood she had. She was lowering to the ground slowly like a wilting flower. He caught her and laid her in his arms, holding her close._

 _"I never should have trusted you. I screamed for you to save me for so long but you never came," she whispered, no longer having the energy to yell at him. Her eyes still held the power over her emotions even in her weakened state. She gazed at him in an intense combination of hatred and sadness._

 _"I'm sorry, Emma. I tried to find you. I never stopped looking for you."_

 _"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters." As the last of her energy drained she slumped in his arms. Her eyes grew cold and dark as she no longer moved. He pulled her closer to him and screamed as every carefully suppressed emotion burst forth in a wave of unimaginable grief._

* * *

Kakashi bolted up from his bed screaming. The dream had been so real. His skin still tingled from where he held her dying in his arms. He jumped out of bed and appeared in Emma's bedroom silently.

She laid there whole and unharmed in the dawn light. Her face was slack with sleep and she had cuddled herself up to a spare pillow. Her hair lay around her like an unkempt halo. A few locks shined, almost blonde, in the sunlight.

How could he be so selfish to think he could posses such innocent perfection? If she had chosen to be with him she would have been like a bird with clipped wings. He couldn't do that to her. No matter what he wanted, he couldn't want her. He was a shinobi that was destined to be alone. His past had been enough to prove that to him. He had foolishly gotten his hopes up only to realize he would always be alone.

Looking at her now he realised that he could be nothing that she needed. She deserved much better than an emotionless man in an occupation that would likely get him killed any given day.

He stood observing her for a long time, merely gazing at her with his sharingan, attempting to burn this image into his mind. This was the last moment he could steal from her before she would have to stay away from him and he from her. Her breathing changed slightly and she started to move. He sent her one last careful look before he disappeared without a trace.

* * *

Emma woke just like every other day. Once she remembered what happened yesterday she brightened instantly. She dressed and set to cleaning her apartment in a very cheery mood. She kept glancing over at her door with a smile as if she could still see what happened just a few hours ago. After a quick breakfast, she finished her chores and dressed to go cleaning for the day.

She stopped at Kakashi's place first. His apartment was always the first or last, given it's location. Today she was eager to see him and pranced on over the few steps. At some point in the several hours of cleaning his apartment she realised he wasn't there. She had only shrugged and assumed he was called out on a mission. The next day had proven her theory to be correct. He would be out on a mission for a week.

The week that he had been gone had went by painfully slow. Without Pakkun and Bull to keep her company she had taken to staying inside and reading all hours that she wasn't working. When she had heard that his team was coming back to the village she had went over to his apartment to make him something to eat like she always did after a mission. She had just finished packing away some of the food for later when the door opened.

Kakashi was not surprised to see her in his kitchen. He had sensed her before he even stepped up to the door. He decided he had to face her at some point and sooner seemed better than later. He was still slightly unprepared for the sunny smile she had sent him. Looking away, he carefully repressed whatever was attempting to surface when he saw her.

"It's good to see you, Kakashi. Are you ready to eat?" He couldn't deny he was hungry. They always ate and talked together when he came home from missions and he could find no polite way to tell her to leave. He reluctantly sat and began eating.

"How was your mission?" She asked genially.

"Alright." He tried to sound as boring as possible.

"It really is great to see you again. I've just been stuck inside without you or Pakkun or Bull to entertain me."

He ignored her statement. That was his plan. Ignore her as much as possible till she left. She ate silently, obviously having nothing more interesting to say or ask. She cleaned up dinner and he slipped away to his bedroom. Not long after that she had knocked on the door.

"Kakashi? Is everything alright?" She spoke from the other side of the closed door.

"Everything is fine."

"Would you like to come over and read with me on my couch?"

"No. I'm going to rest."

"Alright, sweet dreams." He barely heard her retreating footsteps as her words conjured up his nightmare from last week. He shook his head as he tried to clear the sound of her screams from his mind. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the image of her cold, lifeless eyes out of his mind.

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We are far from over my dear readers! Please review and share your thoughts with me.


	14. Chapter 14

This is just a little chapter for you today.

Fun fact: the song that inspired this entire story is called Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy.

A few small PSAs

To the guest reviewer that asked why Kakashi is so romantic: Outwardly he is not and I am trying hard to stay true to his character while also writing about the romantic relationship between these two. But he is a very intelligent man and I am trying to do him justice when writing about the things that go on in his own head. He asked her to close her eyes, not to be more romantic, but so she wouldn't see his face. He was only trying to give her a quick kiss as a birthday present and accidentally took it a bit too far.

to XoxSakurax3: Thank you again for all your positive feed back. I am so glad you love the story so much.

To all readers wondering about Emma as a housekeeper: Where I come from housekeepers, maids, cleaning personnel or whatever you would like to call them are workers hired for their services as is depicted in this story. One of my readers pointed out that housekeepers are treated more like slaves where they are from. The way she works in the story is the only way I know and they only way I saw fit to depict Emma as a housekeeper. She provides a cleaning service and her clients pay her for her time and effort.

To Bijuu lord: You are very right! You should never ignore the ones you love. Unfortunately for Kakashi, he thinks this is better for both of them.

* * *

Kakashi passed each day by going to the Hokage tower and asking for a new mission. Emma was getting increasingly distressed with his treatment of her. He avoided being around her as much as possible. When he couldn't avoid her she always offered to do something with him. She asked if he would like to go out to eat once. She invited him over for a meal six times and asked him to come over to read four times in the last week. She was much too polite to ask him why he was avoiding her. He had taken to keeping his precious book in front of him whenever she was around. This seemed to distress her more as she knew it was a symbol meant to keep her at arms length. One that he had not used in the months they had been friends. The only time he had his nose buried in the book before now was when they would read on her couch together.

He no longer made eye contact with her. The hurt and disappointment in her eyes were too much each time he had rejected one of her offers.

He was relieved one day when she didn't come to his home at all. She was quickly becoming a stranger to him. He left whenever she came to clean his home and left her payment on the table for her to retrieve.

Now, he only saw her on the rare occasion they would pass each other on the street. On those occasions she attempted a friendly and brief 'Hello, how are you?'. He always replied with aloof kindness before they quickly parted ways.

It was March before he finally got a longer mission. Others before that had only taken a few days. This one would guarantee at least two weeks, if not longer. He had packed up, left Emma her payment for the next few weeks and left his apartment.

"Hello Kakashi." He turned to see Emma leaving her apartment as well.

"Hello Emma. How are you?" The air was thick with tension.

"I'm... alright. And you?"

"I'm well. I'll be off on a mission for the next few weeks. I put your payment on the table." She nodded at the ground.

"Kakashi, I'm..." She sighed and toyed with her fingers. "I'm sorry if I did something to upset you. You have been avoiding me for weeks."

"It's nothing. It's just clear that we shouldn't see each other anymore."Her disappointment showed physically. She had slumped where she stood.

Had she done something wrong? She thought their last night had ended on a high note. It appeared he thought differently. Did she do something that night that had upset him?

"It's nothing you did," he continued. He saw her stress and self depreciation from where he stood. She was always so easy for him to read. He didn't want this to be difficult for her. He wanted to break it off before she got hurt. But it seemed she was blaming herself for something she didn't do. She did nothing but stare at the ground with a pained and puzzled look. There was nothing he could say now that could make it better for her.

"Goodbye, Emma." He took off, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Numbly, she made it back to her door and let herself in. She closed and locked the door before slumping against it.

Kakashi wanted nothing to do with her. She had no idea what had caused him to do so. They became great friends and briefly something else. Now, he wished for her to be nothing more than his housekeeper.

He had kissed her though. Why would he kiss her and then ignore her? He had taken her out for her birthday and for a birthday gift he had kissed her. Was it that he thought her past was too much to handle? Did he not want to deal with a girl so emotionally damaged? Or was it that he didn't want someone that had been... defiled over ten years ago? She began to sob as a horrifying thought struck her. What if that kiss had just been a pitying goodbye from him? Maybe it was just one last high note before he told her to get lost. She choked on a sob as her heart clenched painfully. Why did both men she had thought she loved left her feeling unwanted and inadequate?

She didn't understand Kakashi, though. If he knew he was saying goodbye that night, why hadn't he taken what he could get from her before he left her like her ex-boyfriend? She buried her face in her hands. She would never understand Kakashi. She never had a snowball's chance in hell to ever understand him.

She stood and made her way out her apartment and into Kakashi's. She walked up to the table and stared at the money. If he didn't want to see her then she could make it easier on him. She separated his key from her key chain and left it on the stack of money. She locked his door once again and closed it behind her. She walked up to the Hokage tower and soon found herself knocking on the door.

"Come in," Tsunade called. She walked in obediently and stood in front of the only desk. "What can I help you with Emma?"

"I'm here to pay for a mission. I want to move to Suna." The Hokage's eyebrows lowered in confusion.

"Did something happen? Does anyone know your secret?"

"No. It's nothing like that. Honestly, I am just trying to avoid someone."

"That's a long way to go to avoid someone."

"Please, I want to move to Suna. I'll keep quiet about where I am from and I won't tell any secrets. I can't stay here any more." Emma stared into the Hokage's honey colored eyes as she attempted to reason with her.

"If you are willing to pay for the mission then I won't deny you. But as you are a high profile citizen I won't accept any escort missions below A level."

"I'll pay whatever you ask. How soon can I leave?"

"I can give you three days to pack and get your affairs in order. You can meet the team at the gate at dawn on Thursday."

"Thank you." Emma turned to leave when the older woman's words stopped her.

"You should know that once you are in Suna they won't be so eager to let you go." Emma held a stubborn determination in her eyes after Tsunade's words.

"That's fine by me."

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There are more chapters to come! Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

This story is far from over. Thanks to all that have continued to read past the drama. You shall all be rewarded soon!

* * *

She spent the next few days packing and returning apartment keys to all of her clients with a quick note saying she wouldn't be able to clean their homes anymore. She didn't want to say goodbye to anyone so she had waited till they were away from their homes to leave her notes. She left a note on her bed for Kakashi, assuming that he might wonder why she had disappeared. That is, if he cared at all that she left. She had whittled her belongings down to a few changes of clothes and all the money she owned. Everything else she had just left in her apartment. She didn't care what the landlord did with it.

She met the team on Thursday morning. Each were jonin level from clans she knew were powerful. She was thankful that she didn't personally know any of them. She didn't want to answer anyone's questions. The days they traveled in the desert were hot. Thankfully, it wasn't summer yet so the heat had not yet peaked. It took them several days to get to Suna. She only slept on a thin blanket and was really hoping to be able to fine a hotel to crash at for the night, after a long shower of course.

When they finally arrived at Suna it was after lunch time. The team delivered her inside the gates to a waiting emissary and left immediately. The man that collected her at the gate welcomed her warmly and lead her to the Kazekage's office to check in. He lead her into the Kazekage tower and announced her arrival through a set of double doors she could only assume was the Kazekage's office. A familiar voice called her in. Despite her mood she couldn't help but smile at Gaara as she saw him behind the desk.

"Emma Steele?" He inquired.

"Hai, Kazekage-sama." She bowed respectfully.

"Forgive me for not believing your story but I would like proof. How did you convince the Hokage of your tale?"

"I told her a secret about the leaf village that very few people know."

"I would like a similar form of proof." She had expected that and nodded.

"I did think of something and I wish to apologize in advance for bringing up something I doubt you want to remember." She cleared her throat awkwardly.

"You may speak freely. I requested proof. It doesn't matter if it is a delicate subject." She nodded to him again.

"'There is only one cure for a wound to the heart. It's a bit bothersome and you can only receive it from someone else. It's love.'" Gaara looked slightly surprised. Though, she assumed from his usual stoic appearance that meant he was very surprised. That was something that his uncle had said to him soon before he attempted to kill Gaara. It was probably one of the last things that had been said to him before he decided to live only for himself.

"Again, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else would convince you. I know about your past in great detail and I won't judge you for it." He stared at her as if he was attempting to detect a lie in her words. He seemed to decide and nodded to himself.

"With that settled I need to inform you of what is expected of you here. You may want to sit for this." She took his invitation and sat in the chair in front of his desk.

"The council knows of your origins and importance to this world. Upon your arrival in Wind Country they have seen fit to put their own plans into action. The wish to make it so you cannot leave here, like you so recently did to Konoha. They wish to arrange a marriage between you and a prominent member of Suna." He paused seeing the shock cross her face. She clenched her fingers in her lap tightly.

"I... They want to marry me off to some stranger? Is there anyway I can get out of this?"

"Unfortunately, no. Now that you are in Suna, the council will do everything possible to keep you from telling secrets to our enemies. They are being remarkably lenient with their marriage plan. They do not yet have someone picked out for you to marry. They wish to get into your good books by letting you decide who your husband will be. They require you to consider every unattached male from jonin level and above. If you attempt to refuse them they will not give you a choice in the matter and they will force you to marry whomever they choose for you."

She sat numbly in front of him. His brow had lowered slightly at his words as if he found the whole idea distasteful.

"You will have to go on a date with each eligible male until you have singled out a husband for yourself. Each party has a right to decide against the marriage. Even if you choose someone they still have the right to refuse. But you must choose one from the suitors they have provided for you. You are henceforth considered a prominent member of Suna and must therefore act like one. I have heard that you ran a house cleaning service in Konoha. You will not be permitted to do so here. All your expenses will be paid by Suna and you will be staying in the Kazekage's mansion until you are married."

She sat in stunned silence. There was a lot of information to process. The council considered arranging a marriage with her to be lenient? From hearing their second plan to force her to marry if she refused, she could also hear in his tone that there were perhaps more drastic measures they would use if she chose to refuse them a second time.

All in all, she was wishing she had stayed in Konoha. She sighed as the image of Kakashi came to her mind. Maybe it was just best that she did marry some random person. It would at least keep her mind off Kakashi and maybe marriage would help in a strange way with her trust and intimacy issues. Either way, if they were determined to keep her here by any means necessary, she preferred to have a say in the matter. She didn't want to have to deal with the thinly veiled threats if she chose to refuse their 'hospitality'.

It was nice, at least, that she would be an important person here. She wouldn't have to worry about money, but that didn't sit well with stubborn voice that refused to take help from anyone.

"When will these 'dates' begin?"

"You can have tonight to settle in and you will start tomorrow. Tomorrow morning someone will come to your room to prepare you for the day ahead. You will be attending breakfast, lunch and dinner with various suitors. At the end of each day you must come back here to give your official review to accept or refuse each suitor. Do you have any questions?"

She shook her head solemnly.

"Someone is outside the door to take you to your new home. I apologize for the suddenness of these demands and I would like to formally welcome you to Suna." She stood and bowed to him.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama." She turned and left the room. Temari was apparently the one that was to show her around, as she was the only one that was there.

"You must be Emma. Hi, I'm Temari."

"Hello. It's nice to meet you." It truly was. She still was excited every time she got to meet someone she knew of from this world.

"Follow me, I'll show you where you will be staying." They headed out of the building and to the right before Temari spoke again.

"So what made you decide to come to Suna?" Emma looked a bit nervous under her dark gaze.

"Someone I was close to told me that we can't be around each other anymore. I figured I would make it easier on him and just leave so he doesn't have to try to avoid me anymore."

"Who was it?"

"I would really rather not say." Temari shrugged.

"Have you met a guy named Shikamaru while you were there?" She suddenly seemed very interested in her answer.

"Sorry, I haven't met him. I have heard about him a few times. I heard he is a real genius. Hey, weren't you the one he fought in the chunin exams? Didn't you beat him?" Temari snorted at her words.

"You can drop the act. I know all about where you're from. Honestly, you aren't the best liar either."

"Sorry. Half of what I said is true. I never did meet Shikamaru but a few of the people I knew mentioned him once or twice."

"Exactly, how much do you know?" Temari asked.

"Quite a lot. The Kazekage asked for proof and I quoted your Uncle Yashamaru." Temari stopped in her tracks.

"You did what?" Emma stopped to look back at her.

"He seemed a bit surprised but he took it well. He has changed quite a lot. I hope he is proud of himself for everything he has accomplished. He deserves it." Temari shook her head and continued to walk alongside Emma.

"You're right. He has changed a lot. Sometimes I just forget how much and bringing up such a sore subject around him, I thought that maybe he wouldn't have taken it so well."

"I know that he is a changed man. I wasn't afraid of him but I apologized before I said it because I didn't think he would want to remember such a dark time." Temari turned to her in surprise.

"You know all about him and you aren't afraid of him?" Temari looked astounded as she questioned Emma.

"Why would I be? He hasn't given me any reason to. He seemed very polite to me, actually."

"I'm glad you came here. We need more people like you around. That stuffy old council doesn't always see him as the new person that he is."

"Well lucky for you I am stuck here due to said council. I'm not exactly fond of them either."

"Yeah I heard about all that. Sounds awful if you ask me."

"I don't think it will be as bad as I first assumed. Of the two guys I loved in my life both of them made it incredibly clear that I meant nothing to them. Maybe it will be a good change to just choose someone for a smart reason and just go through the motions without having to let my heart get broken in the process."

"Do you really think you can go through life so mechanically?" Emma shrugged in response.

"I have done it before, I don't see why I can't do it again." They arrived at the Kazekage's mansion. Temari gave her a short tour, merely pointing at rooms and stating their purpose as they walked by. She explained that the building was to house the Kazekage and their family as well as traveling dignitaries, whom had their own guest wing. Emma would be staying in the same part of the house where the Sand Siblings were as she was a more permanent house guest.

"These are mine and Kankuro's rooms." She pointed to two doors on the left. "That is Gaara's room and this one is yours. She indicated the two doors on the right and opened the last door. She saw a large four poster king size bed in the center of the room. Drapes adorned part of the wall that she assumed to go to a balcony, if her view from the outside was any indication there were several. There were a set of double doors and a single door along the right side of the room. The room was decorated with several landscape pictures, two bedside tables, a low dresser and a small vanity with a stool

"You have your own private bathroom." She opened up the closet to see it full of brand new garment bags. "The council appointed you with a stylist. They are insistent that you look good on each of your dates. So, she has been busy getting you formal attire and she will be here each morning to help you get ready."

Both girls said their goodbyes and Emma took a much needed shower. She had just finished dressing herself in a tee shirt and shorts when she heard a knock at the door. Behind the door stood an short old woman in a traditional kimono carrying two over sized bags.

"Are you the woman from Konoha?" She had a gruff voice as if it hadn't been used in quite some time, or possibly overused.

"Yes, my name is Emma Steele." She stood aside abruptly as the old woman stepped through the door, pushing through rather rudely.

"You may call me Akemi-sama. I am your council appointed hair dresser and stylist." She set the large bags down and opened each revealing dozens of beauty products. She pulled out a small fold out stool and set it next to the vanity stool. Akemi-sama turned to her and began circling Emma while she muttered under her breath. Emma wasn't sure if the woman knew she was being overheard or if she simply didn't care. Either way it was extremely rude and made Emma feel more like a defective doll.

"Too tall... pale, that's good...too fat, needs a new diet... split ends...atrocious cuticles... horrible posture... clothing is completely inappropriate...feet need a lot of work... such dry skin..." Akemi-sama was poking and pulling at the various parts of her body that she was criticizing. Emma didn't think much of herself but under the old woman's scrutiny she began to wonder if there was anything beautiful about herself. The woman began soaking Emma's hands and feet in sweet smelling liquid before she started to cut and polish her nails. She scraped at the calluses on her feet and applied lotions and oils to every inch of her body, face and hair. She felt greasy by the time the woman packed up and left, telling her to get a good nights sleep. She crawled in bed, too tired to do anything else. Traveling here had really worn her out. Even with everything on her mind, she quickly fell asleep.

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Please review!


	16. Chapter 16

To my guest reviewer that nearly wrote a book as a review:

Thank you very much for your review. In no way did I see your feedback as a flame. You are very right on all accounts that you have pointed out. While I am grateful that you have given me your opinion, which you are completely entitled to, I would like to iron out a few details that my story may not have been clear enough on. Emma does seem fairly open and trusting for someone that has so many trust issues. The main reason is that she doesn't trust people with personal information and letting them into her heart, not unlike the younger Kakashi that we have seen in the series. She is still capable of being personable and friendly.

As for her freely trusting Konoha with her life when it was obviously more effective to learn her secrets and/or just simply kill her, I will admit that is a flaw that I had not considered. If I could address the point now I would like to think that times had changed in Konoha with the induction of a new Hokage. But given that Konoha still has so many dirty little secrets that would still be a flawed reason. The only reason I gave for them to not want to know about their future was that Tsunade thought it may be best to let things take their natural course rather than attempt to fix things and deal with the possibility of catastrophic failure.

Throughout the story Emma does learn to trust a little better. To address the conversation with Temari, yes she is a stranger and some people find it liberating to share secrets with complete strangers. Emma is honest with Temari because she already knows that Emma is from another world and knows all about the Naruto universe. You are right that Emma could have lied and said she just wanted a change of pace or she wanted adventure but Emma is not a good liar even by civilian standards. With shinobi, such as Temari and Kakashi, it is pointless to with hold the truth from them when they can detect lies so easily.

Once again you are right, Emma can be quite childish. She can't even let Kakashi make her lunch without throwing a fit and she can't let go of the past even after ten years. While to most people it does make much more sense to forgive, forget and move on, some people are simply incapable of doing so. Some people will bring up the past in every argument and will never let go of past feelings to move on with their life. Emma had no healthy relationships growing up and she is like Kakashi in the way that they guard themselves against others. Though, I willingly admit Kakashi's is much more grown up and his reasons are much more reasonable than a ten year old spat between one time lovers.

She loves Kakashi. Though, she hasn't said it. Her reasons to move to Suna were to save herself from the pain of seeing him. She also decided to move away because she wanted to make it easier on him. She knew he was actively avoiding her and she merely thought it would be kinder to relieve him of the burden of trying so hard to ignore her. Thank you for saying she seemed very realistic. I tried very hard to make her a new person and not just an extension of myself as most OCs seem to be. Personally, I am the type to forgive and forget and I agree with you that that is the way to go. Emma has flaws but that is what makes her human. I believe it is what makes her character come alive. She was made to be more than just an OC trying not to be a Mary Sue. I made her as realistic as possible to make it seem like she was a real person to come from our world to her favorite fiction story.

I hope if you have more constructive criticism that you will PM me as it would be easier for me to answer you rather than one response every chapter. While you may dislike Emma, I hope you will continue to read my story for the quality of my writing, which you have so graciously deemed 'great', and the frequency of my updates.

-leeniejs

Enough of my rambling, onto the story!

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She was still dead tired when she woke to a knock on her door. The sun had barely risen and she was already being forced out of bed. Of course it was Akemi-sama at the door again. Emma had a feeling she wasn't going to like the older woman at all. She once again began her routine of unpacking her bags and rubbing oils into her skin as she sat obediently on the vanity stool. She shined and polished every inch of Emma till she once again felt sticky and wet.

Akemi-sama helped her into a silk kimono designed with reaching branches and small red buds. The old stylist had tucked and squeezed her in various places to get the kimono on just right. She was commanded to sit, which was difficult in the tight fabric, while she pinned her hair up in a tight bun. While the old woman busied herself with Emma's hair she commented that black hair would go better with her pale skin. Yet another flaw. She was beginning to wonder why they even bothered to dress her up to find her a husband at all. If she was truly as unsightly as Akemi-sama made her feel then they should really be forcing some poor unsuspecting sap to marry her rather than the other way around. She sat as still as possible as her makeup was applied. Akemi-sama seemed to be going for the porcelain doll look for her. Her already pale skin was caked with white powder and various other makeups that she didn't see the point to.

By the time she was done Emma didn't recognize herself. There were similar facial features to herself and the person in the mirror, almost as if she vaguely knew the reflection as a half forgotten memory. She didn't feel or look like herself. She just felt like a living doll. Akemi-sama left after declaring that she was done for the day and left Emma alone waiting for someone to come get her for her first date of the day. She stared at her reflection sadly, sincerely hoping that her days of being a paper doll would be over soon.

She trudged up to the Kazekage's tower at the end of the day. It was too warm out and being under tons of fabric hadn't helped. She wondered what her make up was made from when it was still intact after she was sweating all day. She knocked on the door and entered when she heard Gaara's low voice call her in.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"Kazekage-sama," she bowed, "you wanted me to report in on my decisions of your appointed suitors each day."

He looked at her as if he was trying to recognize the woman beneath the makeup. He nodded in recognition.

"How did the first day go?"

"I'm afraid I have to decline all three suitors from today." She didn't like being so formal but calling Suna's best a bunch of immature idiots that couldn't have beaten Naruto in his genin days was a bit...impolite.

"Sit, please." She did as he asked. "How much do you know about me?"

"I know a lot about your past but I don't know much about you personally. That is to say I know what you have done and how it lead you to be the person you are today."

"You told Temari you aren't afraid of me. It took a long time to convince those around me that I am not the monster I used to be. What was it that changed your mind without even knowing me?" Her eyebrows lowered in confusion.

"I don't think I was ever afraid of you." Her words surprised him. "Unlike everyone here, I had an up close and personal look into your life. I saw a lot of the killing that you have done and the pleasure that you derived from it. But I never thought you were the one to blame. Everyone around you made you what you were. When all you can hear from everyone around you is everything that they assume you to be, it's very hard to sit there and take it while continuously trying to prove them wrong. You were so young when the voices outside and inside your own head were calling you a monster and urging you to become just that. At one point you just hit a point where you couldn't take it anymore and you became the monster that everyone thought you were. Because at least when they called you a monster then it wouldn't be a lie. If you can't beat them, join them I suppose. I only saw you as a compilation of every voice telling you what you are. And now you have become the man that you were really meant to be." She stared into his black rimmed eyes as he stared at her. She wasn't sure what he was feeling or thinking.

"I think the last person that was so honest with me was Naruto." She chuckled softly.

"I'm certainly glad I didn't meet the same fate as Naruto when you two were having your heart to heart battle." She smiled at him. "It's nice to be put in the same category as Naruto, even if it is just for honesty."

"I'm still surprised that you were daring enough to take the chance." A dark sort of laughter consumed her. The kind of desperate laughter one needs when they are in a dark place.

"I guess either way would have worked for me. I either get to keep living or I don't have to answer to the damn council anymore." She recovered from her laughing fit when she heard him let out a short laugh. She looked up to see the ghost of a smile on his pale features. "I don't think I have ever heard you laugh before. It's nice. You should do it more often."

"What did you go through that made you this way?" She looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"By looking in someone's eyes I can tell if they were lonely like I was as a child. What happened?" She heaved a sigh.

"I lost my mother when I was five. I had to grow up very fast and be far more responsible than others my age which made me a bit of an outcast. Unlike here, where I come from children aren't expected to have so much responsibility until they turn eighteen. But I had most of the responsibilities of an adult by the time I was ten. When I was fifteen the person that I foolishly thought I loved had taken what he wanted from me and turned his back on me without so much as an apology. After that he and his friends started rumors that I was nothing but a worthless whore. Like I said before it's hard to stay true to who you are without giving in to all the voices telling you different." It felt easier to talk about her past now. Even though things had ended poorly with Kakashi he still helped her to move on and accept her past. She would always be grateful to him for that.

"What happened then? What did you do about the voices?"

"I ignored them the best I could when I couldn't escape them. I tried to stay away from them as much as possible. I receded into myself and became too introverted to be considered healthy. I never wanted friends and never had them again till I came here. I tried the best I could to not let everyone see how upset I was over what they called me but it would be a lie if I said I never cried about it. When I came here I finally made friends and they helped me accept what happened to me. I was never able to talk about my past so freely before now. It's nice to be able to tell my story without fearing more ridicule."

"I'm honored that you trusted me."

"I suppose it's only fair since I know so much about you already, Kazekage-sama."

"You may call me Gaara."

"In that case, call me Emma." She sat there thoughtfully. "I'm not really sure what I should be doing now. I've finished my daily obligations."

"You are welcome anywhere in my home. You can return and relax the rest of the night, if you would like." She winced.

"I'm afraid if I go home now then Akemi-sama will attack me with more beauty products." Gaara hummed thoughtfully. "I could help you with your paperwork, you know. I used to be a secretary at a law firm. You don't have to worry about me seeing any village secrets. I'm sure I know them all." Gaara considered her before he began shuffling through papers on his desk. His sand retrieved a book from one of the shelves in his office and he laid the book and a stack of papers in front of her.

"These are requests for building permits. I need you to look through them to make sure they are all lawful and within reason. This book should contain every reference you should need on the subject." She nodded and quickly went to work. She read through each boring line looking up each particular building code in the book. He had gone through a few stacks of his own when she turned them around for him to see.

"Each one of these building permits are lawful and within reason. Each owner promises to pay for the renovations, restorations, contracting, etc. out of their own pocket." He was slightly impressed. He signed them and placed them in the 'out' pile of his desk. He handed her a new stack and she eagerly accepted it. Working double his usual speed they finished with the rest of his paperwork for the day in two hours. She seemed much happier with herself than when she came in.

"Thank you. I would have been working till midnight if you hadn't helped me," he said.

"Any time, really. Anytime you see fit to drag me away from one of Akemi-sama's paper doll sessions, please do."

"Would you like me to walk you home?"

"That sounds wonderful." Gaara dropped off his paperwork with his secretary and they left for the evening.

"Does this mean we are friends now?" He asked her.

"Do you want to be friends with me?" He nodded plainly.

"Then yes. We're friends." He sent her that little ghost of a smile again. She beamed back at him. They returned home in silence. She had retired to her room to shower off all the make up and take off the ridiculously constricting kimono. She wrapped herself in a towel and dug in her bag for a new set of pajamas, only to find her bag empty of all clothes. She looked in each dresser drawer to find that the clothes she brought were gone. It seemed missing a session with Akemi-sama had given her the opportunity to rob her of her 'inappropriate' clothing and replace them with things she deemed fitting. In place of her usual tee shirts and shorts for bed she had given her long nightgowns that covered her from neck to toes.

She threw the article down and glared at it before picking it back up. This thing would be too constricting, just like the kimono. She began searching the drawers for anything sharp. Scissors, a kunai? What sort of shinobi home was it that she couldn't find a kunai when she wanted it? She was fed up with searching and bit into the cloth to tear off the sleeves. She succeeded in making a niche in the fabric and tore it the rest of the way through along the same thread line. She did the same with the other shoulder and cut the nightgown to fit at mid thigh level. She did her best to rip off the lace neck line that was sure to suffocate her in her sleep. She left the article considerably damaged and that made her happy. She pulled it over her head and put on a pair of underwear. The fabric wasn't as comfortable as her cotton tee shirts but she didn't really have a choice.

She pulled open the door to the balcony and leaned over it to look at the sky as she shredded the fabric. Each tear she heard made her feel better. A wonderful sense of rebellion swelled in her knowing that she was doing something Akemi-sama wouldn't approve of.

"I didn't know Suna's budget was being wasted on one time use clothing." She jumped and turned to face Gaara on the next balcony. He was already out of his formal robes and into a comfortable shirt and shorts. Lucky.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't going to be comfortable the way it was. I didn't plan to destroy the rest of them. I was just hoping to hide this one from Akemi-sama. Apparently when I stayed to help you with your paperwork she took the opportunity to take my clothes and replace them with what she thinks I should be wearing. She took all of my tee shirts and shorts I use for pajamas so I had to make due with what I had."

"I was unaware I was employing thieves." He narrowed his eyes in her direction though his malice was not directed at her.

"It's not so bad I guess. If I can find a way to hide this then I won't have to destroy another.

"You shouldn't have had to in the first place. What did you use to cut that with?"

"I ripped it with my teeth then tore it the rest of the way. I couldn't find scissors." He disappeared into his room suddenly. She thought that was rather rude. If he hadn't wanted to talk to her he could have at least said goodbye. He walked out carrying something in his hand and made a bridge of sand from his balcony to hers and he walked across it confidently. Of course he would. He was the one in control of it. He stepped down onto her balcony and held out the bundle. She was suddenly self conscious. When she ripped the skirt she hadn't expected anyone to see her wearing it and she hadn't thought twice about its length. She only knew it was long enough to serve it's purpose for her. Now she felt a little exposed.

She took the cloth from his hand and unfolded it to see he brought her clothes just like he was wearing.

"I thought you would like these. They may be better than your current attire."

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere." She stepped back into her room and ran into the bathroom to change. She stopped at her mattress to stuff the nightgown underneath it, just in case she needed it again. She walked back out considerably happier in her borrowed clothes.

"Thank you, Gaara. You are a good friend." She spotted the sand all around them, waiting till it was needed again. She started drawing circles in it, enjoying herself with her new friend. She smiled when the sand hovered around her hand and allowed her to manipulate it. She poked her finger inside and around it as it allowed her to move it.

"You are very strange. No one has ever played with my sand before."

"Maybe they should," she commented.

"They are too afraid of it. Aren't you at least a little scared?" She looked him in the eyes seriously.

"Do you mean me any harm?"

"No."

"Then no. I don't fear you or your sand." She continued to run it through her hands. It was rough and strangely fluid as it floated there, weightless. She felt a strange warm energy coming off of it. As if the chakra infused into it was palpable to her.

"Gaara, do you really believe me when I told you where I come from and how I know about your world?"

"You have already proven it to me once and that was enough."

"I want to tell you something that is very important," she told him seriously.

"I don't want to know any secrets about the future. It could be far too detrimental to this world."

"It's not a secret about the future. In fact it's something that should never have been a secret at all. But I need you to trust me so you know I'm not lying."

"If you feel I need more proof than what you have already given me then swear on something that matters to you."

"Would it be too far-fetched if I swore on comfortable pajamas?" He shook his head with slight amusement.

"I swear on comfortable pajamas that what I am going to tell you is true." She paused to consider her words. "Gaara, you have been told lies about your mother. They told you that she died cursing your name but that wasn't true. She cared for you deeply. She held you as she died and she promised to always protect you with her last words." She held up a handful of his sand. "This sand does not protect you because of Shukaku. She imbued her will into this sand and that is why it will protect you no matter what happens. You may never have known her but she lives on through you. She will always protect you Gaara." She took his hand and poured the sand she was holding into his hand. He stared down at the grains, crying with this new revelation. "She loves you Gaara. She proves it to you every time she protects you." Gaara had brought his other hand up to wipe at his eyes. She was tearing up as well. Before she lost her nerve she pulled him close for a hug and buried her face in his shoulder.

"It's alright Gaara. You don't have to stop crying. I'll be here for as long as you need me."

He wrapped his arms around her hesitantly. He was obviously unfamiliar with the gesture. He pulled her tightly to him. She stroked his hair softly as he wept with relief and joy.

Several minutes passed like this. He slowly detached from her, his eyes a strangely haunting red, black and green. He rubbed at his face.

"Do you feel better?" She asked.

"Yes. It feels freeing to know that. Thank you. If there is anything I can do to repay your kindness just name it. Don't hesitate to find me if you need me."

"You don't owe me anything. That should have never been kept from you in the first place." She smiled at him. "You are a good man, Gaara. You should have good things happen to you." She yawned suddenly.

"You should go to bed. It's late." She nodded and turned to leave.

"Goodnight, Gaara."

"Goodnight, Emma."

* * *

Please review and tell me what you think. We will be checking in on Kakashi next chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

Thank you to all that have reviewed! I never thought I would get 20 reviews but here this story is at over 60! You are amazing, my dear readers. You make months of typing worth every second.

* * *

Gaara's day was going as well as he could have expected for a day filled with paperwork. Each stack never seemed to end. The pile of incoming paperwork always exceeded the outgoing paperwork. He continued on reading various scrolls until his office door flew open suddenly. His sand raised, instantly on the defensive. It dropped just as quickly when he saw it was only Emma.

Her pristine visage was ruined. Her hair was ruffled and her makeup was smeared. Her eyes were red from crying and her kimono sleeve was torn at the shoulder. He stood up immediately and made his way over to her.

"Emma? What happened? Are you alright?" She sobbed into her hands. "Are you alright?" He repeated. She nodded. He assumed she meant physically because she was obviously not alright emotionally. He brought his arms around her, attempting to console her the same way she had done for him. Thankfully, her sobs began to slow.

"My lunch date today, Shinji, he didn't understand what the point of these dates were." She paused for a deep calming breath. "He thought I had signed up for some sort of massive shinobi sexual release program. He tried to force me into his home."

Gaara was livid. No one hurt his friends. One way or another he would have one less joinin in his village, either by death or demotion. He would have to calm himself enough to leave the man alive.

"What happened then?" His voice was calm, showing none of his inward rage boiling inside of him.

"Kankuro was passing by and stopped him. I ran straight here after that."

"Your dates will be suspended for the rest of the week. I'll have Temari escort you home."

The rest of the week that had followed Emma's incident was spent mostly indoors. She was often locked away in her room after retrieving books from the library. Temari had taken it upon herself to attempt to befriend their house guest. While they were amiable towards each other neither seemed overly forthcoming in their relationship as friends. She had talked with Temari over the incident and had admitted how frightened she was and had found the courage to tell her about her past, just as she had told Gaara.

Gaara had proven to be better company to her than Temari had. Emma made the trek to the Kazekage's tower daily after lunch. She would arrive and offer to help Gaara with his paperwork as she had done before. By the third day they had managed to go through all of his paperwork and for the first time since he became the Kazekage there was no more paperwork to be done on the third evening.

They had spent the rest of their day together, temporarily free from their obligations. They had gone out to eat at Gaara's request and spent the remainder of the evening roaming the city on foot as they exchanged friendly banter or merely enjoyed the sights of the city in silence.

Gaara had brought her to the roof of the Kazekage mansion to see the moon in all it's splendor that night. He had mentioned it was his favorite spot to sit and think and he spent most of his nights there in lieu of the sleep he could never achieve. They had thoroughly enjoyed the moon's beauty together until Emma called an end to their night to sleep. They bid each other a fond farewell as Gaara lowered her down from the roof to her balcony on a platform of sand.

The night would have been considered romantic if either had such intentions towards the other. But Gaara was more interesting in running the city than finding a wife at the current time. Emma was simply hopelessly in love with Kakashi and couldn't find in in herself to actively attempt to seek out romance anymore. She obviously didn't make smart decisions in love matters. She was already doomed to marry someone she didn't love and it wouldn't be good for her health if she began having feelings for someone that she also wouldn't be able to marry.

Another visit from the ever-loathed Akemi-sama that evening marked the continuation of her dates that following day. If it hadn't been for her time spent with Gaara she might have spent every moment of her free time wallowing in self pity deep under the covers of her bed. That being said, spending time with Gaara was the one good thing about being in Suna. It was her life's only respite from the constant awkward socialization.

She fell asleep that night once again hoping for dreamless sleep or sincerely hoping that she would wake up to find all of this to be a dream.

* * *

Kakashi was determined not to think about Emma on his mission. He and his team were observing a criminal base at the edge of fire country until they had enough information to take it down. He had been glad for the distraction from actively avoiding Emma inside the village. It had been made easier after she seemed to get the hint and stopped attempting to socialize with him. They managed to pass each other on the street on occasion where he would discreetly watch her pass as she purposely kept her eyes fixed on the ground at her feet, very aware of his presence.

When they couldn't ignore each other, such as an awkward meeting outside their apartments or in the company of friends they would exchange pleasantries. Though nothing deeper than the weather was discussed in their strained conversations.

It was easy for Kakashi to shut out his thoughts and feelings when she wasn't around. He had become the master of hiding his feelings over the years and it didn't take much at all to shut down thoughts of her, especially on a mission.

It was much more difficult to stop his chest from constricting every time he saw her in the village. He had taken to avoiding her eyes at all cost, usually in favor of looking in his book during their occasional run-ins. It hurt him too much to see the emotions in her eyes brought out by his presence. The usual culprits were all there on display for him, sadness, loneliness, hurt, guilt and (dare he say it?) love. Even when she attempted to hide them, he could still read the emotions easier than if she had said them.

She desperately wanted him back in her life but she was too kind and too afraid to ask it of him. Though, he was sure that from their last encounter he had finally managed to stamp out the last of her hope that he would return to being her friend. His only regret was that he couldn't have broken it to her more gently. If he had attempted it she surely would have held on to the hope and feelings for him. This way might have been more cruel but it would be much more effective. By breaking things off with her she would no doubt be able to recover and seek out romance with someone else, someone safer for her. He grit his teeth at the thought.

He hoped she would find someone that deserved her, someone willing to invest in a future with her. She deserved someone that she could tell her past to and someone that would respect her for it, someone that would be patient with her as she explored their new relationship at her own pace. Heaven help anyone that didn't reach this standard as Kakashi would wreak havoc on anyone that didn't. Outwardly he wouldn't show how much he cared. But if he heard that any man had hurt Emma or pushed her the way her ex-boyfriend did, they just might find themselves subjected to any number of shinobi related tricks he had learned in his long career.

She would realize soon that she didn't care for him the way she had thought and she would move on soon enough. He couldn't make her happy but that didn't mean he didn't wish her happiness.

* * *

Emma sat in the Kazekage's office with Gaara as she waited for her first date of the day. After the incident with Shinji, whom she heard was demoted to chunin status, Gaara had required all of her suitors to pick her up and drop her off in his office. When each of them arrived he explained the situation to them: they were to take her out for a meal and an appropriate public activity and escort her back to his office in a timely manner for her next date. Each of her suitors was subjected to the same speech from the Kazekage as nearly palpable waves of power and malice rolled off of him which he referred to as a healthy dose of fear. He was a bit hard on each of the men that courted her but it ensured that his friend remained safe and made her feel well cared for.

Another week had gone by with suitors of all kinds. Most had been jonins but a few were prominent members of Suna such as the children or sometimes grandchildren of Suna's council members. Each one had made an extra effort on their date with her to impress her with their fancy heritage and obvious financial inheritance. Each one had been given an immediate mental check mark in the 'no' box of her suitor list.

She had also been required to date Kankuro that week. His obvious lack of interest at the beginning of their date had prompted her to ask if he was even interested in settling down with anyone. He had explained to her that it was no slight towards her personally. He simply didn't find an arranged marriage appealing nor did he want to settle down with a wife at such a young age. She greatly appreciated his honesty and had requested that they forget the formality of the date and enjoyed an evening as friends. Once they had become more casual she found that Kankuro was very witty and could make her laugh easily. He told her dozens of stories which he found no topic went over her head. He had assumed from her status as a civilian that she wouldn't understand the retelling of battles or their shinobi way of life. On the contrary, she listened avidly and provided excellent feedback, already understanding most of what he said due to her knowledge of this world. After their dinner he had taken her for a walk around Suna where he pointed out areas of interest and told stories of things that had occurred on the spot, all of which she enjoyed.

Despite the fact that Kankuro's was the first date she actually enjoyed, they both kept their promise and answered in the negative when asked if they would like to pursue marriage.

She sat in Gaara's office with her eyes closed as she waited for the next man to walk in the door. Her lunch date just minutes ago hadn't been entirely awful. The boy had been a very young jonin and had tried much too hard to see that their date went smoothly. He had been far too intimidated by Gaara and had tripped over his words through their entire date. He was sweet enough but she didn't enjoy the thought of marriage to someone over 10 years her junior.

"Emma." She opened her eyes to see Gaara standing in front of her. She didn't flinch. She was no longer surprised by the silent movements of shinobi. "I will be your date this evening." He offered his hand to her to help her from her chair. She took it politely and let him pull her to her feet, unnecessary though it was. He offered her his arm and she took that as well. She didn't think Gaara was so knowledgeable in manners towards women. He was extremely considerate of her as he lead her to the restaurant. He walked at a pace slow enough for her to keep up due to the inconvenience of a tight kimono. They stayed silent as usual, neither being one to fill silence with meaningless chatter. He had lead her to one of the high end tea houses and they had been seated in a private room he had reserved for this occasion.

"I didn't know you were on my list of suitors," she commented. "When you said all unattached males from jonin and above I didn't think that included the Kazekage himself."

"The council has been hinting that I should marry and saw fit to include me in their plans for you. I have no doubt that they hope to match the two of us together. Marriage to any one of your suitors would ensure you are under the command of Suna but marriage to the Kazekage is ideal."

"Well, if it was anyone else I would deny them at the first chance just to thwart the council." Amusement played on his features in his typical reserved manner. She knew he hated the council as well. They were just a bunch of old fashioned elders that were too stuck in the past to even consider that things had changed in the last several decades.

"But since it is me, what will you do?" He asked. She looked down as she considered. She knew Gaara well by this point. She knew of his past and his demon (quite literally). He was easy to get along with and she could easily spend much of her time in his presence.

She imagined what life would be like as his wife. She wouldn't have to work and she would be made a public spectacle, though she cared for neither of these she could learn to live with it. She would be married to a dear friend that she would be able to see often. Gaara himself would be understanding in her aversion to physical relationships and he would understand that her heart would never be completely his. She may learn to care for him, possibly even love him over the years, but her heart would always belong to Kakashi.

"I find that a life with you would be as ideal as an arranged marriage could be," she stated with wavering formality. "What do you think about this?" Gaara's eyes pinned her with an intense look as he considered his response.

"The council will no doubt double it's efforts to marry me off to some citizen of their choosing for every year I go without a wife. Marriage to you would alleviate the stress of choosing between the citizens who are only interested in my title. You are also a dear friend to me and spending every day of our lives together sounds acceptable considering how well we get along."

"You should know my heart will never truly belong to you," she said glumly.

"We have long since accepted each others past, knowing full well that it will affect the future. I haven't allowed your past to color my opinions of you and you seem to have done the same for me." She nodded. "We both care for each other but we both know this would not be a marriage born of romantic love."

"We would be a smart match in every way and we understand each other better than any random suitors could."

"Should we consider this matter settled then?" He asked. She took a deep breath.

"My answer would be yes. And yours?" She asked, suddenly nervous. He nodded to her.

"I will inform the council in the morning."

* * *

Next chapter Kakashi comes back to the village. How do you think he will respond when he finds out Emma is gone?

Please review and tell me your thoughts. If you have any questions about things I have not made clear, please let me know and I can PM you or post a reply to my next chapter.


	18. Chapter 18

You readers are amazing. This story continues to grow in popularity and it astounds me every day. If you don't stop I'm going to get a big ego. Here is the next chapter for you.

to Xinoucho: Thank you so much for your review. You have no idea how happy it made me. You have managed to put into words the exact reason that I began writing. I often have stories in my head and I search this site for weeks trying to find a story similar so I can read it. But unfortunately I have never come across them. I write these stories for people like you that are searching for a story like this because I can't be the only one that wanted to read a story like this one. I have had the great pleasure to be consumed by the story I have written on a level unlike the stories I read. No need to worry about your life, I will keep updating until the story is complete. Thank you for all of your wonderful compliments. My thoughts seem so much more eloquent in my head than written down and I am trying to do this story the justice it deserves. I look forward to your input on later chapters.

-leeniejs

* * *

Emma was sorely mistaken when she thought her paper doll sessions were over. The council wasted no time after they heard the news of their betrothal. Now that she had an obligation to be the head of the village she was to attend sessions every morning to learn the history of the Sand village as well as manners and etiquette befitting the Kazekage's wife. They deemed the lessons necessary as she was not a native to their land, though the general public wouldn't be let in on the truth of where she was from. She was to be the woman behind the Kazekage literally and figuratively. The council were planning festivals and balls that she would be subjected to being seen with Gaara at all times. All of this was told to her the morning after her date with Gaara.

As if this wasn't enough information to process, she was informed that Gaara had sent for her after her lessons were done. She made her way to the Kazekage tower and knocked on his office door. The secretary that had long since overlooked her intrusion to his office now looked at her in interest. It seemed the word of their impending marriage had spread quickly.

Gaara called for her to enter and she did just that.

"You wanted to see me, Gaara?" He left his paperwork and made his way around the desk when he realised who was at the door.

"Yes. I'm sorry we don't have much time for this. I am backed up on paperwork and both of us now have more obligations from the council." Emma winced at the memory of her history lesson that morning. She dreaded leaving his office to go to her etiquette lesson next. She believed Akemi-sama was to blame for the etiquette lessons as the woman thought her mannerisms and style needed improvement.

"What did you need me for?" She asked. Wordlessly, he brought out a tiny velvet box and she felt her blood run cold instantly. She knew that this would have come eventually but she had assumed she would have more time to prepare. Every girl dreamed of this very moment but in her dreams a silver-haired and masked man was the one on his knee before her not her best friend. There was no excited squeal that the box elicited from her nor a gasp of surprise. She only stared at it blankly trying to comprehend how her life had gotten to this point.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt when he knelt before her and opened the box in a very traditional manner. The ring was stunning. Polished gold shined between a band of diamonds as three large diamonds pointed upwards in the center. The middle of the three was larger than the others as it sat in the center, almost reaching out to her as if to claim her finger as soon as possible.

"Emma, will you marry me?"

There was no overwhelming joy and nervousness that showed in his features. He knew what her answer would be. This was merely a formality and obligation to what they had chosen for themselves.

She nodded no longer trusting her voice to speak anymore. There was no fanfare after her answer. He slipped the ring on her finger and it weighed on her hand like the weight of the world on her shoulders. He rose from his position and they both stood their awkwardly, unsure how to proceed. If they had loved each other their would be much hugging and kissing. But as it was neither knew what to say.

"Thank you," she said nervously. "I should probably be going. They won't like it if I am late to my lesson."

He stared at her silently, not entirely sure how to proceed or dismiss her appropriately. Taking his silence as permission to leave, she nodded to him and exited his office hastily.

* * *

Kakashi made his way through the village in silence. The mission had taken a bit longer than the two weeks he had expected. It didn't matter to him. It gave him more time away from Emma. Now he would be forced to endure the guilt he felt every time he looked at her. He unlocked his door and walked into his apartment, making a mental note that Emma was currently absent from her apartment. He paused as he surveyed his living area. There wasn't one item out of place from the last time he was here. Emma usually cleaned his place at least once while he was absent. He also noted the air didn't smell like she had cooked here recently. He opened the refrigerator to see it as empty as he had left it. The stack of money he left for her on the table was still there along with her key to his apartment. He sighed.

It seemed he had finally gotten through to her in their last encounter. She wouldn't force herself around him anymore.

With his stomach grumbling and no food in his kitchen, he left his apartment. He came upon the Ichiraku Ramen stand, noting a familiar orange clad ninja scarfing down his favorite food. Naruto always made it to the ramen stand immediately after each mission and at breakfast, lunch, dinner and just about any time he wasn't busy with something else. Kakashi sat down next to his blond haired student and ordered a bowl for himself. They both sat in silence, Kakashi waiting for his meal and Naruto too busy eating to talk. They both turned around hearing a familiar voice calling them.

"Naruto! Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura called from across the street as she trotted over to them. They both raised a hand to greet her before she continued. "Have either of you been home yet?"

Naruto shook his head as he slurped his noodles.

"I have," Kakashi answered.

"Did Emma leave you a note, too?" She asked.

"What note did she leave you?" He asked curiously.

"She said she couldn't clean my apartment anymore and left my key. It didn't look like she touched it since we left. I was wondering if you had seen her yet," Sakura said.

"I haven't seen her. She returned my key and left my apartment in the same condition as well," Kakashi answered for his worried student.

"Do you think maybe she got a job somewhere else?"

Kakashi thought it was unlikely. Emma enjoyed all aspects of cleaning their homes. It was unlike her to stop helping her friends for any other job. He didn't get the chance to respond to her query before Naruto choked on his ramen.

"What? She's not cleaning anymore? But if she doesn't clean my apartment that means I have to do it myself!" He shouted.

"Naruto," Sakura reprimanded, "there are more pressing matters than the ramen cups all over your apartment." Kakashi's order had been delivered and his two students stopped speaking in favor of staring at him intently. They still tried so hard to see his face. That was one thing he would miss about Emma. He was free to take as long as he wanted to eat around her because she never tried to look at his face.

Faster than his students could realize he turned his back and drained the contents of his bowl. When he turned back around with a cheerful smile hidden beneath his mask, his students were scowling at him.

"Why do you think she stopped cleaning? Do you think something happened?" Sakura asked with concern.

Kakashi's mind turned to the nightmare he had weeks ago. If anyone had heard of her knowledge of their world, something most definitely could have happened to her. Though he thought it was unlikely that kidnappers would be able to make their way into the leaf village and leave with her without being noticed. Not to mention they wouldn't let her leave notes for her clients.

"She's probably fine. It's not our business what she decides to do with her life." Kakashi paid for his meal and stood.

"Aren't you worried about her, Kakashi-sensei? It's not like her to just stop like that."

"I'm sure she had her reasons." Without another word Kakashi walked off leaving his students to wonder about their friend.

Though Kakashi seemed uninterested he was deeply worried about Emma and wouldn't sit by until he knew what happened. Noticing her chakra signature was still absent from her apartment, he let himself in. Her apartment looked just as untouched as his own. There was a lack of life to the area that she so often brought with her presence. She usually opened windows on the milder days of the year to air the place out but it smelled barren of fresh spring air. She had left things clean and tidy as usual but it was obvious nothing had been touched in days or weeks. The kitchen was absent of all food as if she had known she wouldn't be around to throw it away when it spoiled.

The bathroom was dry, also an indication she hadn't been here. A few of her personal effects were missing. He walked into the bedroom and saw it in a state of disarray. Clean clothes lay strewn across her bed, her books had been shuffled around on her shelf and a few of her drawers were pulled open to reveal their barren contents.

All evidence pointed to the fact that she had packed a small bag and left some weeks ago. The only piece in the room that looked deliberate was a small folded piece of paper on the corner of the bed. He picked it up and noticed at once his name scrawled across the outside edge claiming him to be the recipient. He unfolded it and began to read.

 _Dear Kakashi,_

 _By now you must have realised I have left. I am moving to Suna tomorrow. I am sorry I couldn't tell you goodbye in person but I am far too much of a coward to face you after everything we have been through. Part of me hopes that you will never read this letter, that the land lord will have cleared out my things long before you happen to find it._

 _I apologize if I ever inconvenienced you, especially in the latter months. I thought after my birthday that we were both becoming more comfortable around one another and I took your actions as an indication that you wanted more from me than our simple friendship. I see now that I had pushed you away in my efforts to get closer to you. For that I am sorry and I wish to explain._

 _I believe I made it clear that I wanted us to be more than friends. In the attempt I only succeeded in forcing you to revert back to the man I had known you to be before I met you. In the weeks that you avoided me I gave you the space I thought you needed and hoped, in vain, that we could rekindle our friendship. Though, every day it became more and more clear that you wanted nothing more than to continue our strained business dealings as house keeper and client._

 _I would like you to know that I hoped everyday that we could return to just being friends. When you made it clear that we couldn't be more than that, I realized that I would have been content with an easy friendship between the two of us. Again, I'm sorry for not making this clear from the beginning._

 _With each passing day I began to realize that we could be no more than strained acquaintances. It has become too difficult for me to stay in Konoha for the soul purpose of barely surviving in between the occasional cold hellos and goodbyes from you._

 _There will always be a special place for you in my heart, Kakashi. You took care of me more than you were required to and you helped me to grow as a person. You alone took a frightened little girl and helped her to accept her past and taught her how to face the world with determination. I cannot thank you enough._

 _I have never said a certain few words to you. Despite the fact that I am sure you could see those words that frightened you all over my face, I cannot go without at least saying them(or in this case writing them) at least once._

 _I love you Kakashi._

 _Know that where ever life takes you, I will always love you. I will always think of you and I wish you the best of everything this world has to offer._

 _Even if we never see each other again I hope that you will accept my deepest apologies and my heartfelt, though reluctant, goodbye._

 _All my love,_

 _Emma_

His hand covered his face as his eye skimmed the letter two more times. She blamed herself when he was pushing her away. She had apologized five times! He had broken her heart and she was apologizing to him.

He ran his hand through his hair roughly. He had only tried to protect her from her own feelings towards him. Instead he inflicted emotional torture upon her by forcing her to think that the man she loved wanted nothing to do with her.

She loved him.

He swore loudly.

She couldn't handle being around him anymore and she had left. But not before leaving him a note to thank him for everything he had done for her in the past and to apologize for everything HE caused. What sort of selfless, self loathing person had he forced her to become?

He only wanted her to forget about him and move on to someone that was safer for her to love. Someone that could love her the way she deserved and was deserving of her love. She had fallen in love with him and he made her feel like everything was her fault. This was no better than what her ex-boyfriend had done.

What the hell had he done to her?

He couldn't leave her to her assumptions. He had to find her and tell her everything had been his fault. She didn't deserve to go through life blaming herself for everything.

His heart clenched. It was more than that. He didn't want to see her just to remove the burden from her life. He needed to see her. Faced with the fact that he may never see her again, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved her.

He loved Emma and there wasn't a single thing that was going to stop him from winning her back.

He folded the paper and slipped it into a pocket of his jacket. He wasted no time waiting outside the Hokage's office and appeared immediately within it. Tsunade blinked up at him and scowled in irritation and confusion.

"What do you want Kakashi?" She asked impatiently. "You are never this early to report in from a mission."

"I need to go to Suna." Tsunade raised her eyebrows at this request.

"Why?" She deadpanned.

"I need to speak to Emma." He stated.

"Why?" She repeated in irritation.

"She left here blaming herself because of me and I need to fix that."

"What exactly do you intend to do?"

"I need to tell her I love her." Tsunade sighed heavily and laced her fingers together.

"It was obvious Emma was running from something like that. She told me specifically that she was running from someone," she emphasized the last word heavily, "but I'm afraid things are much more complicated than that Kakashi. Suna's council knew of Emma's secret and they don't intend to let her leave. They will do anything to posses her knowledge for themselves."

"Can't the Kazekage do something?"

"Unfortunately, no. Gaara cannot overrule the council and we have no claim to her to force them to relinquish her back to Konoha. They are arranging a marriage between her and Gaara to lay claim to her in the most official way possible. The announcement was just sent out." Tsunade gestured to one of the many scrolls on her desk. Kakashi picked it up and unrolled it to see an official letter from the Kazekage announcing the betrothal of their former resident to the Kazekage himself. His heart fell as he read the short passage.

"Is there anyway I can still go? Just to relieve her of the blame she feels?" He scowled at himself. He wasn't going to give in so easily. He wasn't going to let his Emma be forced into an arranged marriage. "Is there anything we can do to get her back?" He asked hopefully.

Tsunade sat back in her chair and sighed. She pondered his questions as she observed the determination in his countenance.

"Does she love you?" Tsunade asked softly.

"Yes."

"What are you willing to do to get her back?" She asked.

"Do you think there is a way to get her back?"

"Kakashi, what are you willing to do?" She reiterated.

"Anything," he answered immediately. This was not the life she deserved. He only realised it now that there was so much more to lose. He had set ridiculously high standards for someone that deserved her. While he didn't feel like he was that man he knew she had chosen him to love out of everyone else. He would spend everyday striving to be that man if she would only give him one more chance.

Tsunade's eyes gleamed mischievously upon his answer.

"Excellent. I have an idea. If Suna's council wants to play games then dammit we will join in!"

* * *

Fun fact: the letter to Kakashi was the first part of this story to be written. This whole story centered around this chapter. We are so close to the conclusion! What do you think will be happening now?

Please review.


	19. Chapter 19

The next chapter as promised! The chapter you have all been waiting for is finally here!

* * *

Emma trudged along the street attempting to look indifferent as her stress and emotions weighed her down. Her morning lessons had her up at the break of dawn and extended till lunchtime was nearly over. They had lumped her history and etiquette lessons together so her afternoons could be spent with wedding planners running after her asking her opinions on miscellaneous decor for the upcoming fall wedding.

The council was eager to have their wedding done and over with but they also realised that in the midst of spring, a summer wedding was too close to plan all the details. More often than not she was approached by the wedding planners they had hired to iron out the details of their special day. By the third day of this she had stopped trying so hard to look at all the decorations they had come up with and had taken to accepting whatever they suggested.

Her life had already been arranged for her, why not her wedding as well?

She spun the ring on her finger with her thumb. It still didn't feel right. It was perfect in every way but it represented the fact that she was no longer in control of her own life. Gaara was an excellent friend and he would be a wonderful husband but she felt guilty that she couldn't love him the way he deserved.

She was walking along the edge of the village attempting to avoid the crowds of people gawking at her. She was easily recognized in her fancy kimonos and heavy make up that Akemi-sama put on her every morning. Some people had taken to bowing respectfully when she approached them. She didn't like that. She didn't want to be above anyone else. She would constantly ask them to stop bowing and while some were accepting of her modesty, others looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

She was approaching the gate to the village when a white, green and blue blur caught her eye. She looked up hastily trying to see where the movement had come from. It looked like it had been passing through the gate and into town. She groaned and put her face in her hands. She was pining for Kakashi so much she was beginning to imagine he was there. She dropped her hands and left down a side street in search of a quiet place.

* * *

Kakashi hadn't stopped in his trek through the desert. He was too excited to put Tsunade's plan into action to stop for something as ridiculous as sleep. It had taken him just under a day to reach the gates of Suna. He passed through quickly and hastened to the Kazekage's tower. He made his way up to the secretary claiming he had an important scroll from the Hokage. The woman waved him along immediately and he soon found himself knocking on a large set of double doors leading to the Kazekage's office.

"Enter," a voice called from within. He walked in and bowed genially.

"Kazekage-sama, I have a letter from the Hokage." He presented the scroll and Gaara opened it without delay. He skimmed the short message before he paused in consideration.

Gaara,

If all goes as planned your council will be very irritated and unable to do anything.

-Tsunade

"What plan is it that will irritate my council?" He asked with a hint of curiosity.

"The Hokage is aware of their efforts to posses Emma Steele. She also recognizes that Suna has no official claim to her and cannot therefore force her hand into marriage. Though as it is, Emma willingly came here and all paperwork states that she is a citizen of Suna. Neither of our countries wish war upon each other and Tsunade would like the council to remember those facts and she proposes an alternative that will benefit everyone."

"What sort of alternative is this?"

"Do you love her?" Kakashi asked stiffly.

"It is common knowledge that our marriage is an arranged one. We chose each other out of necessity and logic. She is a dear friend to me but I do not love her in a romantic sense."

"If she could chose another path, another person to make her happy, would you let her?" Kakashi's shoulders were tense as he spoke. Everything rested on the Kazekage's acceptance.

"I would enjoy seeing her happy but the council will not let her be taken so easily," Gaara said.

"The Hokage has already thought of that."

Kakashi brought out another scroll. Gaara unfurled the second with a swish of sliding paper. Gaara's lips turned up lightly as he read through the details of Tsunade's plan.

"It is her choice." Gaara said. "I will comply with either option she chooses. You have my permission to go along with this plan." He rolled up the scroll with satisfaction.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama."

"You will most likely find her roaming the streets at this hour. She will be avoiding the crowds as much as possible."

"Thank you." He bowed deeply in genuine thanks and left the office to search for Emma.

He jumped from roof to roof attempting to spot her. Though, he quickly realized there were too many people to pick her out in the entirety of the city.

He bit his thumb and made a few quick hand signs before slapping his palm to the roof he stood on. With a poof of smoke, Pakkun appeared.

"Pakkun, I need you to find Emma."

"Why are we in Suna? Did someone kidnap her?" The pug asked curiously in his deep voice.

"No, she came her on her own. She should be on the streets somewhere."

Pakkun sniffed at the air and wandered around the street below before running off with Kakashi following him closely. Nearly a minute later Pakkun stopped on a rooftop overlooking a nearly deserted street.

"That's her, Kakashi."

He looked to the street below. The only inhabitant walked along the street in the distance. She was a young noblewoman in a light blue silk kimono decorated with flower buds of all colors. Her hair was done up off of her pale neck and her make up was heavily applied to her face and neck hiding her natural beauty in overly bright colors. Her eyes were nearly closed as they stared at the ground before her feet as she walked.

"Are you sure Pakkun?" Kakashi wasn't sure this was Emma. If it was,she looked incredibly different. Everything from her attire to her demeanor had changed.

"When was the last time this nose lied?"

He nodded to his companion and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He observed the woman as she drew closer to the roof he had perched upon. Features began to stand out as she neared for a closer look. Her hair was the same shade of warm chocolate brown. Her high cheek bones and softly angled chin were just as he had remembered underneath the make up.

It really was Emma.

Her attire didn't suit her at all. The expensive kimono looked lovely on her but she was the sort of woman that could make a baggy tee shirt look sexy and it suited her better than such fancy kimonos. Her make up made her look almost unrecognizable. The harsh colors were painted on her face too heavily to be considered beautiful. She wasn't the kind of woman that needed to dress up. She was like art in it's purest form. Art isn't always supposed to look nice. It is supposed to make you feel something.

Her body language screamed misery. Her shoulders were slumped forward as her feet nearly dragged on the ground. He didn't need to look into her eyes to tell that she was anything but happy.

He leaped down to the street below and watched her as she approached. She was so dazed that she didn't notice his presence until her eyes connected with his feet. She glanced up intending to apologize for nearly walking into a stranger when she stopped on a dime. Her eyes widened as they roamed his masked features, taking in his appearance greedily.

"Kakashi, what are you doing here?"

"You didn't think that letter would be the last word between us did you?" Kakashi asked. She looked away in shame.

"I thought you didn't want to see me any more so I thought I would make it easier on the both of us."

"Do you want to know how you kill someone?"

Her eyebrows contracted in confusion as disgust filled her features. Her mouth opened and closed as she floundered for a response to such a strange question.

"You tell someone you love them and never speak to them again." Kakashi answered his question.

"Emma," He began. "Everything I did was to protect you. I pushed you away from me because I didn't think I deserved you. I wanted you to forget the feelings you had for me and find someone safer to love. You don't need to blame yourself for everything that happens around you. I was the reason you were in so much pain. You have no reason to apologize to me. I owe you an apology for causing you so much pain."

She only nodded at the ground as he spoke. She blinked rapidly attempting to stop the tears. To her it sounded like he was rejecting her feelings again but it also seemed like he was trying to help ease the blame she felt. She wasn't sure what to feel.

"I was wrong to push you away like that," he continued. "You trusted me and I let you down. I will never be able to apologize enough for that. I was afraid of where our actions would take us. I thought I was ready to accept where our lives were leading us but I was terrified of losing you. When I was pushing you away I didn't realize I was doing exactly what I feared. I was so used to losing the people I care about that I thought forcing you away from me would be better than loving and losing you."

Her face turned into a grimace of pain at the word 'loving'.

"You are the most beautiful person, inside and out, that I have ever met. I know what I did hurt you but I can promise I will spend every day making up for that mistake. You deserve so much more than me but if you give me the chance I want to spend the rest of my life trying to be good enough for you. I'm only asking for a second chance. Emma, I-"

"STOP!" She yelped out. Her hands came up as if to protect herself from his words. "Please, stop. Kakashi, I'm in an arranged marriage. I'm engaged to be married in just a few short months and it's already difficult enough without you adding false hope. I can't get out of this arrangement. It doesn't matter what I want or who deserves a second chance. There is nothing I can do."

"Do you love Gaara?" His voice was merely a whisper as he spoke and prayed within the safety of his mind that she still loved him.

"No, he's my friend. He understands me and he can give me a good life. He won't ask anything of me that I am unwilling to give."

"If you were free to choose, what would you do?" He asked her seriously, his voice betraying the desperation he felt. She shook her head and and looked at her feet.

"It doesn't matter. I can't, so what is the point?"

"Emma," he implored as he stepped up to her, "I need to know what you would choose." The tears she had been fighting to hold back spilled over onto her cheeks and buried themselves into her kimono. Her eyes connected with his as she considered his words. She had never been good at reading him but he could tell he was waiting in anticipation for her answer.

She looked so helpless as she stared into his eye. Her eyebrows remained connected in an expression of deep regret and pain.

"In a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you," she said softly.

He seized her immediately and pulled her to his chest. She went more than willingly into his embrace. She clung desperately to him as he pulled her as close as possible and dug his fingers into her neat hair.

It was the most glorious pain she had ever felt. In Kakashi she had found a home, a place to belong. She wept as she let his arms envelope her. Her heart soared at the contact. This was where she belonged and the high it brought to her upon returning to him was beyond any description she could think of. Exquisite, perfect, marvelous, no word could do it justice. But her mind knew it couldn't last. The more time she spent with him the more it would hurt to lose him.

Kakashi knew different. She shuddered against him as he held her as tightly as he dared. He had her back and there was not a chance in hell that he would give her up. Not now that she had told him what she wanted.

"Emma, there is a way for you to get out of this. I just had to be sure it's what you wanted first." She lifted her head from his chest and looked up to him with thinly veiled hope shining in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I needed to know you wanted me just as much as I wanted you. Tsunade found a way for you to get out of your arranged marriage. I've already talked to Gaara and he has agreed to go along with whatever you choose."

"What do I have to do?" She asked hopefully.

"The council has no real hold over you. That is why they want to marry you off to Gaara so you cannot leave. Technically you are free to go wherever you would like. But it's not as easy as just packing up and leaving. The council would be in an uproar if they knew Konoha had stolen you away as they see you as nothing more than a valuable information source that they wish to keep to themselves. The relationship between Suna and Konoha would be strained and no one wants the two nations to go to war."

She looked horrified at the possibility that she alone could start a war. He continued quickly.

"But Tsunade has planned around that. When you came to this world Tsunade had sent a letter to Gaara asking him to set up a paper trail to prove that you had existed here before you came in the fall. And when you came to Suna they made you an upper class citizen. And there is nothing that strengthens the bonds between villages like marriage."

"You want me to forego one marriage for another?"

"Basically, yes. Though, I hoped you wouldn't be so disagreeable with this one. It's entirely up to you what you choose," he said. She looked at him skeptically.

"Why do I feel like you haven't told me everything yet?"

"Well, that is the other reason I'm here. Tsunade didn't just feel like upsetting Suna's council on a whim. She came up with this at my request."

"You did all this?" She asked with disbelief.

"I can't stand the thought of you living such an unhappy life. And if you give me the chance," he knelt at her feet and she gasped as her eyes widened in surprise. He pulled out a ring box and opened it to reveal a gorgeous white gold diamond engagement ring. The center diamond was cut in an oval as it was surrounded by two smaller emeralds on either white gold band shined in the sun, undeniably beautiful. It was simple and not flashy, all in all it was perfect for her.

"I want to save you from your life and spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you deserve. Will you marry me?" She nodded as happy tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Yes!" Kakashi beamed up at her and he slid the old ring off of her finger to be replaced with his. She admired it as she smiled down at it. Everything about it felt right. Gaara's ring had been expensive and beautiful but this was just perfect for her. It felt right on her finger and as her obligations slipped away, they took with them the weight of her responsibilities and worries that had been building up over the past weeks.

Kakashi stood and pulled her into his arms again. She embraced him happily feeling more free than ever.

"So what do we do now?" She questioned against his chest.

"Well, that's the only catch. We have to act before the council realizes what we are doing and tries to stop us. We have no get married now."

"Now?" She asked in surprise.

"Gaara should have gotten everything ready in case you said yes."

"Alright."

"Are you sure you are ready?"

"As long as it's you, I'm ready for anything."

Without further preamble they vanished into a cloud of smoke and appeared in the Kazekage's office. Gaara looked up from his paperwork, not surprised to see them there.

"I assume you have come to a conclusion then?" He asked the pair of them.

"We wish to proceed with the ceremony immediately." Kakashi replied.

Gaara nodded and stood. Emma detached from Kakashi and walked over to Gaara.

"I really am sorry," she began. He held up a hand to silence her.

"We both knew we had no more than a friendship. It brings me joy to see you truly happy for the first time since your arrival here. Your decision worked out the best for everyone." He smiled gently at her. "You are a dear friend and I am happy to help you." Overcome with emotion she pulled him into a hug. His smile grew slightly as he returned the gesture.

Kakashi walked up and produced the old engagement ring for Gaara. As the two ended their embrace he pocketed the ring without a second thought.

"Are you both ready?" Gaara asked.

They nodded and proceeded with a very short ceremony. Gaara asked them simple and all encompassing questions to which the both responded with 'I do'. Kakashi had also thought to buy wedding rings for the two of them. Both were plain white gold just like her engagement ring. They slipped each on the appropriate finger.

"By the power vested in me as the Kazekage, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Kakashi didn't wait for his cue to kiss her. He moved her so she stood between the two men and slipped his mask down to kiss her without Gaara seeing his face. Already anticipating what was coming Emma closed her eyes and allowed Kakashi to move her as he pleased. Their second kiss was as electrifying as the first. They kept it short and chaste as they were not alone. Emma looked at him in a daze after their kiss. She could see the smile on his face through the fabric of his mask which he had just replaced.

"You will need to sign these." Gaara interrupted their fuzzy thoughts as he laid out papers on his desk for them to sign. They both signed their marriage certificate and Gaara picked it up and made for the door.

"I will personally see to it that this is filed appropriately and I will send a copy to the Hokage. I'm sure we will see each other in the coming days." Without another word he left the office.

"Can we go back to my room in the Kazekage's mansion? I would like to enjoy the last bit of quiet before everything happens." Rather than a verbal answer Kakashi picked her up in his arms and walked them out onto the balcony. He jumped from roof top to rooftop as she clung to him tightly. Trusting him not to drop her didn't stop her from fearing the heights he was currently jumping.

As they approached the mansion she pointed out her balcony on the left and he landed easily upon it. Rather than set her down he walked up to the door and she opened the door for him carrying out the tradition of carrying her across the threshold. Though she had to admit they were doing many things backwards. The officiant of the ceremony was her ex-fiance and best friend, they had been engaged for moments before they eloped and he had carried her across the threshold of the second floor balcony.

They certainly were an odd couple.

He set her down on the floor but held their embrace for a few moments. She was perfectly content to stay in his arms forever. She was disappointed when Kakashi broke their embrace first.

"Do me a favor and take a shower. You are beautiful no matter what you wear but I prefer to see the real you, not all this make up."

She beamed at him and kissed him briefly through his mask before she left for the adjoining room. She emerged some time later wearing a man's shirt and shorts. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and plucked at the shirt sleeve in a silent question.

"Gaara gave these to me the second day I was here." She walked over to the dresser and pulled out a rather unattractive full length nightgown. "Akemi-sama was in charge of my appearance and she took all my clothes because they weren't lady like. She only had me wearing things like this and the things she said about me made me feel awful."

Kakashi couldn't blame her for not wearing the nightgown as she stuffed the item in question back into the drawer. While the kimono's made her look graceful, she didn't enjoy being forced into one everyday. He didn't feel jealous towards Gaara. He was the only one that had made her life bearable without him. In fact, he would have to thank the man for making her happy and helping him win her back.

He stepped forward and pulled her close, still unsatisfied with her absence from him. Her body meshed against his own as she held him tightly to her. She looked much more beautiful coming out of the bathroom than she did going in. Happiness looked better on her than any kimono ever could. For her, happiness was comfortable clothing and being with him and he had just given her both.

"I can't even tell you how happy I am." She sniffed into his chest. Her voice was sightly broken from happy tears. He held her tighter and stroked her hair. "I was so miserable here without you."

"I know. I promise I won't leave you again. I think there is something important that needs to be done sooner rather than later." She looked up to him questioningly as he raised his hand to the edge of his mask. Startled, she clapped her hands over her eyes.

"Kakashi," she reprimanded, "that is your most important secret! I really don't need to know!" He grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her hands away from her eyes.

"I want you to see," he said seriously. "I don't want secrets between us." He lifted her hands and guided her fingers to the edge of his mask. He left them there and pulled off his hitai-ate.

She looked between her fingers and his eyes more times than she could count as if she was still trying to confirm that he wanted this to happen. He stood, patiently gazing at her. With a confidence born only from her familiarity with him she began to pull the mask down. A smile curved upwards on her lips at each feature she saw, a straight nose, high cheek bones, more of the scar over his left eye, and soft handsome lips in a small smile. She noticed a small mole on his chin and smiled. She hadn't expected that. She gazed adoringly at him as she took in his features for the first time. He was incredibly handsome and he was completely hers, and she, his. They watched as happiness consumed the other's features.

They both intended to make their wedding night one to remember.

* * *

The lemon is edited out of this story. It will be a separate story for those of you that would like to read the M rated excerpt. I hope to post it tomorrow as well as the usual chapter for this story. Please review to tell me what you think. Did any of you see that coming?


	20. Chapter 20

The chapter 20 excerpt has been posted among my other stories. It is called "Trust me excerpt". Be warned! That chapter is rated M and you may read it if you wish. It contains no plot that you will be missing and you can pick up this story immediately at chapter 21 without the fear that you have missed anything important. It is not for the eyes of the innocent!

We are nearly done with this story! Thanks to all that have reviewed/ followed/ favorited/ and messaged me. Your responses fill me with happiness and delight.

-leeniejs


	21. Chapter 21

I'm sorry I couldn't post yesterday, life got in the way. So as a gift for my dear readers that had to wait a full day, there was an excerpt and this chapter for you today (if you chose to read the excerpt). Please forgive me, dear readers, for we are almost to the end!

* * *

When Emma woke the next morning to find that the events she thought she dreamed were reality she snuggled closer to Kakashi and laid her head on his chest. His arm curled around her back and held her to him firmly. She let out a contented sigh and they both laid there enjoying each other's company.

Kakashi turned to her and pressed her against his body. He pulled her leg over his hips and trailed his hand along the smooth skin at her side amorously. She smiled and kissed him deeply. From what she felt against her leg, she knew what he was aiming at. She was no longer opposed to the idea as she had been just a day before. She deepened the kiss without a single thought of negating his advances. He let out a low and happy groan right before a knock sounded at the door. Emma shot out of bed with a start, leaving an unhappy Kakashi under the covers. She rifled through the clothes at the floor in the semi darkness of the dawn light to put something on.

"What's the matter?" Kakashi asked as he sat up in bed. She had already donned a shirt and had found his mask among the clothes and tossed it to him.

"I forgot that Akemi-sama comes every morning." She pulled on her shorts and ran a hand through her hair attempting to look somewhat composed before answering the door. She dashed over to the door and opened it just a crack.

"Good morning, Akemi-sama. I'm not feeling to well today I had hoped I could take the day to stay in bed. So, I won't be needing your services today, thank you." She spoke in an obviously nervous undertone as she attempted to look a bit bedraggled.

"Nonsense," the old woman remarked. "Your teachers are expecting you and you have much to plan for your upcoming wedding. You cannot afford to take a day of rest."

"I really don't-" Emma began before the woman pushed through the door with her large handbag and walked into the scene. The woman's eyes darted around the room, observing everything. Emma herself had managed to find her shorts but the shirt she was wearing was Kakashi's and it was much longer on her shorter frame than she realised. It looked as if she wasn't wearing shorts on underneath it at all. Her red lips and mussed hair spoke of an activity beyond mere sleep. The clothes on the floor attested to the fact that there was more than one occupant semi naked in the room. But the most telling observation in the room came from Kakashi. Though he managed to put on his mask and pants, he laid back in the bed half naked with an air of unabashed immodesty and a smile quirked upon his covered features.

Akemi-sama dropped her bags at once and pointed an accusatory finger at Emma, who recoiled.

"Harlot!" The old woman cried. "You dare to lay with another man while you are engaged to the Kazekage? I shall tell the council of this immediately!"

"Tell them then." Kakashi called as he stood and approached them. "But you should be sure to get all the facts before you tell them lies."

"What are you talking about?" The old woman snapped back at him.

"She is no longer engaged to the Kazekage because she is married to me. The Kazekage himself did the honor just last night." Kakashi held up Emma's left hand to show the old woman the rings on her finger.

"The council will not approve of this." Akemi-sama threatened.

"Why shouldn't they? The Kazekage himself approved our match and as citizens of allied countries our marriage will only strengthen the bonds between our villages. To attempt to dispute the marriage would be dishonest and wrong to discourage such a happy union between two individuals and their countries." Kakashi smiled courteously, though in this situation it came off as condescending. In a flash his gaze turned hard and the tomoe of his uncovered sharingan spun as he glared down at the small woman.

"On another note, I won't stand for anyone insulting my wife," he said with a threatening undertone.

The old woman blanched. Her wizened eyes knew they were playing political games for their benefit. She gathered up her bags hastily and left. No doubt she knew she could do nothing standing their arguing and had left to tell the council to see what they could do.

The moment the door closed, Kakashi had locked it. An instant later he had gathered Emma in his arms and took her immediately back to bed where they spent the whole morning, lost in each other.

* * *

The council had been furious with their plans. Though with the help of Gaara, the iron clad plans of the Hokage, and the disinterest of war to gain Emma back, the council finally gave in. Tsunade had planned it carefully to have their marriage viewed as a political union between the two countries rather than an elopement to steal her away. The council could do nothing to her and she was finally free!

Only a few days passed before she had packed up her things and left the village with Kakashi. Not before there were profuse 'thank you's and many hugs for her new best friend Gaara. She promised to write to him and to send him an invitation to their wedding.

To keep up the guise of their political marriage they agreed to be married in the public eye with a great ceremony. Emma happily dove into the preparations herself and Kakashi readily agreed to any decorations she wanted. Though they both preferred a small ceremony they wouldn't get away with a small affair due to the nature of their bonding.

The ceremony was held a month after their elopement. Neither party had wanted to wait long to officially start their life together. The wedding had been a lavish affair. Citizens of Suna and Konoha had made it in celebration for their countries' union.

Gaara had accepted their invitation and had graciously agreed to give her away as he was the closest thing to family to her. With this development all the rumors of their unhappy separation were put to rest.

After the wedding and reception Kakashi had stolen her away for a walk through the residential part of town.

"Honestly, Kakashi, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise." She had rolled her eyes with impatience and tried to get a clue out of him as they walked. But he refused to give away anything. He stopped them in the middle of the street and gestured to one of the houses.

"What do you think?" He asked, smiling.

The house was a modest two story abode painted white with a yard surrounding the property. There were flower beds lining the front of the house covered in beautiful plants of many colors. She turned to Kakashi in surprise.

"Kakashi?" She questioned without real eloquence.

"It's ours. I just bought the place last week. I've already moved us in." He lead her up the walkway and opened the door. Before she could take a step he picked her up and carried her inside as she laughed. He knew that she enjoyed the fact that they could do everything the right way now, as tradition dictated. Though she held no shortage of joy for the first marriage and she had told him she wanted to celebrate their anniversary on the day of their elopement.

He set her down in the living room and let her take a look at the place. She inspected the furnished area, the full kitchen, the bathroom on each level as well as the three bedrooms. The master bedroom held the essential furniture as well as their clothing. It seemed he really did move them in already. The second bedroom was re-purposed as an office and the last bedroom Kakashi had used as a junk room for all the things that had yet to be unpacked.

"What do you think?" He questioned again.

"It's wonderful. I love it! It's everything I could have hoped for."

"Are you done looking around?"

"I suppose so, why?" He swept her up in his arms again with a smile and walked into the master bedroom. She beamed at him as she understood.

"It is our wedding day after all. We have the rest of the day to celebrate accordingly."

* * *

Please review!


	22. Chapter 22

This story now has over 100 reviews! I can hardly believe it. I never thought it would be this popular even if it had been up for everyone to see for years. You astound me, my dear readers! One final chapter here and then there will be an epilogue. Thank you all for your support.

* * *

It had been only days after their wedding when Emma came down with the flu. It was really no surprise. From the late nights with Kakashi and the early mornings she spent organizing the house, she had felt run down and nauseous for the past two days.

Kakashi had urged her to go to the doctor on the second day and she could do nothing but agree. She had made her way to the clinic she knew Sakura worked at and had gone through the motions of filling out paperwork and wasting time in the waiting room till she was shown into a room and given a paper gown to change into.

Soon enough Sakura had come in and began her examination. She asked questions as she ran her fingers along Emma's throat and neck. She asked her to lay down and explained that she would examine her with her chakra next. For nearly a minute her glowing hands hovered just above the skin at Emma's abdomen. When Sakura pulled her hands away she smiled down at Emma.

"You don't have the flu. You're pregnant," Sakura announced.

A space of time passed as she stared at the pink haired doctor in shock. A smile covered her features once she finally realised what she had said.

Pregnant.

She was going to be a mom.

Kakashi was going to be a father.

She immediately felt her heart clench. The smile slipped from her face just as fast as it had come. How would she tell Kakashi? They hadn't even discussed having children. She didn't even know if he wanted them.

"How long?" She asked.

"A little over a month I would say. I have already checked everything out. You and the baby are perfectly healthy."

She recovered from her shock and thanked Sakura as she left the clinic. She walked home nervously and began twisting her fingers, unsure of what to do.

She entered their home and sunk onto the couch immediately. Lost in thought, she didn't realize that Kakashi had sat down beside her.

"Is everything alright? What did Sakura say?" She jumped when he spoke.

"Fine. It's fine," she began nervously.

"What else?" She sighed at his question. There was no point hiding things from him. He always knew.

"Kakashi, what do you think about having kids?" She asked hesitantly. She stole a furtive glance at him. His eye had widened and he glanced down towards her naval.

"Are you-?" He asked. She nodded with a small worried smile. He laid a shaking hand on her stomach and kissed her deeply. She laid back as he laid his head on her stomach and rubbed it lovingly.

"Kakashi, say something. The silence is killing me."

"I couldn't be happier than I am in this moment."

She pulled his head up and his mask down. They kissed sweetly, in celebration.

"How long has it been?" He asked.

"Sakura thinks it's just a little over a month. That means it must have been about the time we got married the first time." Kakashi beamed at her.

"All the more reason to celebrate that day."

* * *

Now there is only the epilogue to go! I am sad to see this story end. I'm glad you have all enjoyed the ride.


	23. Chapter 23

Here we are. The last chapter. Thank you to everyone that has made it this far!

* * *

9 Years later

Kakashi had barely opened the door before he heard a squeal and a flash of white and purple ran at him. His daughter hugged him around his legs and he lifted her up to carry her on his shoulders.

His duties as the Hokage kept him away from home more than he wanted. Thankfully, Naruto would be the next Hokage in just less than a week. The Hokage in training had been helping him with his work load and he had been able to go home early the past few weeks.

His daughter, Tamiko, had a fairly good grip on words for her only two and a half years. Which meant trouble for Kakashi. As soon as she learned to verbalize her requests, Kakashi had learned he couldn't say no to her at all. She had him wrapped around her finger from the moment she was born. She was the most gorgeous child in the world, in his completely unbiased opinion. She had her mother's eyes exactly, from the color to the expressions that she couldn't hide behind the evergreen orbs. She had inherited his snow white hair though it curled softly like her mother's and it bounced playfully in her pigtails that she loved so much.

"Daddy, daddy! Up! Up!"

Tamiko tapped his head roughly and pointed her arm upward at the ceiling. Or more to the point the person hanging upside down on the ceiling.

"Hey, dad," called his 8 year old son, Ichiro. He looked at his father from where he stood on the ceiling and he looked away quickly as he continued to scrub at a muddy foot print he obviously left. He smiled happily up at his son.

"I see you have mastered tree walking and it seems you wanted to show off inside the house." His son looked at him sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. Ichiro looked very much like his father. His white hair managed to stick up in all directions just like his, though his son chose to keep it shorter than his own. His dark brooding eyes would have made him look like a carbon copy of his father if it wasn't for the subtle dilution of his facial features from his mother.

He was sharp as a tack as well, a genius just like Kakashi. He was only academy age and he had managed to master tree walking already. Kakashi worked with him often to teach him as much as he could, at his son's request. Kakashi also sought to teach him to be humble, not wanting his son to learn the hard way as he had. He was the top of his class and he would go far in the next few years of training. Ichiro had seen Kakashi perform the Chidori and he vowed to master it by the time he was ten. Seeing the determination in his eyes, Kakashi didn't have the heart to discourage him.

"He certainly did master it. He came in just an hour ago to show me and forgot about the mud all over his shoes. Now he is learning a valuable lesson that forethought solves problems before they become problems." Emma spoke from her place on the couch. Kakashi walked over to his wife on the couch and bent over, gently caressing her very pregnant belly and giving her a deep kiss. They both smiled at the tone of disgust from their eldest child on the ceiling.

"Should I get dinner ready then?" She asked Kakashi.

"Isn't it already?" He questioned and readjusted Tamiko on his shoulders as he stood up. Emma shrugged.

"You know how things are around here. It's in the oven."

"I'll get the rest then. You relax," he said.

Emma was in the last two weeks of her pregnancy and as it had been in her other pregnancies, she was exhausted. The energy each child stole from her body increased with each child she had to take care of during the day.

Ichiro had been a ball of energy from day one. He never slept longer than an hour and had quickly grown out of the desire for naps before he was two. He had proven to be a little acrobat and nothing was out of his reach. If Emma took her eyes off of him for longer than half a minute, it was guaranteed he was into something that he shouldn't have been. Their son had shown signs of being a prodigy very young. He was unusually fast, agile and smart even as a toddler.

Kakashi had been shocked by Emma when he noticed her reflexes had improved much more than the average civilian. Obviously she had improved steadily as their son made it necessary for her to protect him all the time. Kakashi hadn't noticed the gradual increase. He had found out all at once one day when he came home. He had barely opened the door when he saw a three year old Ichiro jump from the second story banister and plunge downwards towards the floor. Before Kakashi had made it across the room to save their son, Emma stepped underneath their son and caught him absently with a rather blank expression. She had went on to explain that Ichiro's jumping was his newest favorite activity and he had already done it 14 times just that afternoon.

After the trouble their son had put them through they were in no hurry to add another trouble maker into their house. Only after Ichiro had turned 5, Kakashi had agreed to take him for daily training for an outlet for his energy.

With the improvement in his behavior and his better understanding of the rules that only came with age, they had finally planned and welcomed Tamiko into the world.

Tamiko had been, if possible, worse than Ichiro. She was just as wild and energetic as her older brother but she also tried to copy her brother as much as possible. Nothing was off limits for the young girl. She imitated his taijutsu by punching and kicking anything at her level. She most often caused herself minor scrapes and bruises or caused a few injuries to others. She was slowly learning what was acceptable to do and what wasn't. She had even spent long, frustrating hours attempting to contort her fingers like her father and brother into hand signs.

Everyone was thankful that she was far away from using chakra.

With two wonderful, though difficult, children, they hadn't even thought about having another child at all. Emma was already exhausted each day from keeping their children in check until Kakashi would come home to train the kids and give her a much needed break. They were surprised to find out that they were expecting their third child some months ago. Anticipating her coming exhaustion he quickly planned to hand over the title of Hokage to Naruto in favor of staying at home to help Emma with their kids.

Now he was just days away from being able to stay at home with his family. Emma had worried that he would be bored without being at work. He laughed and replied that paperwork was much more boring than anything he could imagine and with Ichiro and Tamiko around he was sure to never be bored.

Emma had taken to preparing food ahead of time and putting it in the oven to bake in time for him to come home. He took his daughter to the kitchen and handed her one dish at a time as she set the table. Experience had shown them that keeping their children busy was the key to not having them running amok. He readied the dinner Emma had prepared as Ichiro finished cleaning up his muddy footprints. He called the kids for dinner and lent Emma his hands as he helped to pull her up off the couch. She thanked him with a kiss and they ate happily.

As usual, the four of them conversed about their day, with occasional interruptions for the reminder of table manners. When dinner was over, Emma cleaned the dishes as the remaining three left for the backyard to train. Emma had joined them sometime later. She sat in a lounge chair in the shade to read as Kakashi and Ichiro trained with his taijutsu and Tamiko ran around the yard chasing Bisuke. Kakashi often used his ninken for training his children when they were little. He only tasked them with a catching the dogs and it had proven the best exercise before they were ready to fight or use weapons.

An hour later Emma had taken Tamiko for a bath and bed. They only emerged from the house later for her to say goodnight. Both boys said their good nights and had accepted kisses from the little girl. Emma had taken her up the stairs to her room, which would soon also be the nursery for the new baby. Before she left she called a reminder that Ichiro had to shower and be in bed in one hour, to which to boy grumbled his distaste.

Despite the boys protest he had bathed and been in bed at the appropriate time. Kakashi checked on Tamiko before retiring for the night. He walked into her room silently and readjusted the girl back onto her bed, as she had half of her body off of it.

He checked on his son as well and decided that reading in bed still counted as in bed and left him alone. His son had a love of books just like his parents. Kakashi had to be more careful when he read his books. Emma had threatened to burn them if the kids caught a glimpse of the contents.

He finally entered their own bedroom and saw Emma fast asleep on the bed with a book in hand. He marked the page for her and set it aside before undressing and climbing in bed. He gently pulled Emma to him and rubbed her large belly, never failing to notice the calmness that came over mother and child when he did. Emma had sworn by his attentions to her belly. Whenever he rubbed her large stomach she always relaxed and often fell asleep. Even their unborn children always seemed to enjoy the action. They always stopped kicking profusely in favor of relaxing under their father's 'spell'.

This child was no different. The squirming baby, discontent with it's increasingly small living space, kicked and punched at Emma's belly. Kakashi found the protesting limbs and rubbed gently until the baby calmed. Emma sighed and whispered her love to him before falling back asleep.

Kakashi pulled Emma closer, keeping his hand on Emma's stomach to discourage the baby from disturbing it's mother. He kissed her temple, overcome with a feeling of immense joy before he settled down and closed his eyes for sleep, knowing everything was right in the world.

* * *

Warm fuzzy feelings all around! I hope you loved it. Happy endings are my favorite. Please let me know what you think.


	24. Chapter 24

To my wonderful readers,

As a very special thank you to everyone that has favorited and followed this story, and for this story reaching over 100 favorites, I will be doing an extra chapter for Trust me.

I need suggestions from you about what you want to read about Kakashi and Emma. Perhaps a scene you thought I neglected? Something you always wondered about this pair? Or a 'what if' situation? Or maybe just an epilogue 2.0 about the kids later in life? I want you to suggest what you want to read.

Please review or PM me with suggestions, and be sure to sign in so I may credit the person with the idea that intrigues me most. (I will not be taking ideas for brand new stories at the moment, sorry.)

You are the reason I have made it this far and I want to thank each and every one of you!

-leeniejs


	25. Chapter 25

Good news! I can't decide which idea I liked best for a bonus chapter so I will be doing 4 prompts as two chapters. This is the first chapter containing the first two.

The first is thanks to XoxSakurax3 who has been with me since the very beginning. She asked"

"what about a normal day before her B'day night...? Like one day she realizes that she likes him and then she starts behaving in a odd way..."

Unfortunately, Emma didn't realize she had fallen for Kakashi until it was her birthday but I (and my mind that had gotten away from me) couldn't ignore it. This takes place just as they leave the flower shop in chapter 10. This is more in Emma's point of view and I felt it was important as it wasn't clear when she fell in love with Kakashi. It was there it just wasn't clear enough.

* * *

Emma carried the bouquet of flowers in her hands gently as they approached the memorial stone Kakashi had mentioned was their destination. Just feet away she felt the need to speak up.

"Kakashi, I don't really understand what we're doing."

"I thought it would be good for you to pay your respects to your mother. Though her grave isn't here I thought this would be the next best thing."

Her feet halted at the base of the stone. She suddenly felt strangely numb and it wasn't from the biting chill of the mid winter air. She couldn't stop staring at the covered half of his face. It was such a simple and meaningful gesture. He had taken her away from her unhealthy and mopey ritual for the purpose of helping her to feel better. The stone would be the closest thing she could visit as a sort of stand in for her mother's grave that she would never be able to return to. She couldn't remember anyone doing anything so sweet or thoughtful for her.

She swallowed thickly and her heart hurt as it felt like it could beat out of her chest. She jumped as Kakashi turned his gaze to her. She quickly laid the flowers down to hide the fact that she had been staring at him since he finished speaking. She kept her head down as she sent a silent prayer to her mother. A quick glance at Kakashi told that he had taken up his usual position before this stone: head bowed, hands in pockets, shoulders slumped forward gazing at the familiar names he no doubt knew the locations of by heart. Her eyes searched the stone until they found each of his teammates and his father.

Tears welled up in her eyes. His was a sad enough story as it was but being transported to this world made everything real. He wasn't a character with a tragic back story that had lost his friends and family. He was a man that had lost everything. She blinked away her tears and sniffled as quietly as she could. Kakashi must have heard as his arm reached up around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side.

She blushed so heavily that she wouldn't be surprised if the snowflakes falling around her would melt before they reached her face. Her whole body heated and her heart swelled.

And with a start, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt her feelings for this man. It wasn't just some silly little fan girl crush for her favorite character as it had been in the beginning.

She loved him. She loved him despite every reason not to.

She loved him and she freely admitted it to herself without shame; without doubt.

She didn't realize it till that moment that the gloom that had consumed her had lifted. She had only Kakashi to thank for bringing peace to her. She let her head fall against his shoulder and relaxed into his half-embrace.

Neither knew how long they stood there, thought from the position of the sun, one could guess it was several hours. Both were lost in the quiet and the warmth of their bodies in the cold. Emma could have stood there for all eternity and she still would have been disappointed when Kakashi pulled away to speak.

"There is one more place we need to go."

* * *

This second prompt came from my new favorite reader simplegirl42. She (I assume gender) has drawn some lovely art of the story "Trust me" on deviantart under the same name: simplegirl42. We have been working together to create Emma and her three children as accurately as possible. And I must say I am more than pleased with the outcome. Honestly, I'm over the moon and I can't stop looking at them. She asked:

"while Emma is pregnant with her first child, that... due to hormones... she wants Oreos or some other kind of food like that, that is in our world but not in Naruto's world."

She asked and I couldn't do anything to stop myself, which is good news for you.

* * *

Emma searched through the kitchen cabinets for what must have been the sixth time at two in the morning. She rubbed the tiny bump of her stomach attempting to calm the kicking of a child that wasn't getting their desired food. She frowned and stared into the next cupboard, willing her treat to appear as if by magic.

"Emma?" Kakashi's voice called from the entrance of the kitchen. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine, just hungry." She answered in a dejected tone.

"What are you hungry for?"

Kakashi was a good man, an excellent husband and only a few months into Emma's pregnancy he was already showing signs of being a wonderful father. He was remarkably patient with Emma as he pregnancy hit her hard; what with waves of nausea and craving food she couldn't have. Though her needs sometimes sounded ridiculous, he knew she wouldn't inconvenience either of them unless she it was very important or if she couldn't help it.

Emma groaned dramatically and opened another cabinet attempting to find something that would make for a good substitute.

"I just want oreos," she whined softly.

"Oreos?" He asked for confirmation of the strange word.

"It's a kind of cookie from my world. There's a thick, creamy, sugary center between two crispy chocolate cookies. It's delicious and even better with milk. There's just nothing like it here."

Kakashi was an excellent husband. He had resolved to do his best to make Emma happy, strange cravings or not. Underneath the moody and hungry exterior was the Emma he loved. And within that very woman was the life they had created; their child. It was the warm, fuzzy feelings of his wife and their future child, and a small amount of his duty as a loving husband, that had him walking home with a wrapped box under his arm and a smile on his masked face just days after Emma's cookie cravings.

He found her laid out on the couch with a book in one hand and a piece of toast in the other.

"Welcome home, Kakashi." She lowered her book enough to smile at him and she spied the box he held. "What's that?"

"Something for you. I went to see Akimichi-san, Choji's mother. Everyone knows she is excellent with any sort of baked goods." He held out the box and she took it more than eagerly after setting down her book and swallowing the last piece of toast.

Lifting the top she saw little circles of black and white confections she had wanted so much.

"You got me oreos?" She shouted with excitement.

"Akimichi-san made them as my request. She said they are so excellent she will be adding they to her bakery soon."

Emma lifted one of the cookies to her mouth and bit into it, gnawing off half the cookie in one bite. Her head lolled back as she chewed and moaned happily.

"If I haven't told you recently, you are wonderful and I love you." Kakashi chuckled to himself. She stood and pulled down his mask to give him a chocolaty kiss. She replaced his mask and with a smile, gathered up the box and bounded into the kitchen, no doubt for a glass of milk.

* * *

There you have it, two suggestions from my ever lovely readers. Two more have already been written down and are waiting to be typed up.

Until next time,

-leeniejs


	26. Chapter 26

I'm back! I know I promised to give you this last chapter soon and it has been over a month, I think. But the good news is I have been working hard on these last two stories of Emma and Kakashi and their kids. I have been working with wonderfully talented and intuitive Rayne Storms Ink. She has graciously agreed to create a picture of the Hatake family. It can be found on her deviantart account. The links are below for your viewing pleasure to see the family as I have imagined them into being.

this is for the picture on deviantart. I'm sorry I can't just post the links.

rayne-storms-ink

Hatake-Family-Photo-Commission-for-Leeniejs-557990324

this for her fanfiction account.

raynestormsink

This first prompt was inspired by simplegirl42 who suggested:

"Orrrrr like lets say Kakashi tells her Naruto and Hinata are dating and Emma all of a sudden jumps for joy which Kakashi looks at her strange and Emma mentions how that they were her favorite couple she wanted to happen."

Once again I just couldn't say no to an idea that captivated my mind. Here you are.

* * *

Kakashi had barely walked in door from a late night as the Hokage when his legs were tackled by his three year old son, Ichiro. Kakashi immediately picked him up and flipped him upside down the way he loved. The enthusiastic and energetic toddler let out an ear piercing squeal of delight as well as a beaming smile for his father as he was held up by his ankles.

"It's good to see you too, Ichiro. Were you a good boy?" He asked.

Ignoring the question all together he said,"Daddy, need to potty." Kakashi set him down and watched him run off to the bathroom. Emma walked into the living room from the kitchen looking far more rested than he felt. It appeared she had become skillful enough to deal with Ichiro which made her job of mothering him much easier. Not to mention that Ichiro was getting older and started on an independent streak. He ate without being told to and went to the bathroom without being coaxed. He even managed to pull on his pants and dressed himself for the day, though they sometimes ended up backward and he refused to let Emma fix them.

"Hello, how was your day?" She asked.

"Not bad," Kakashi said, flopping down on the couch with a groan. "It's just been paperwork and missions like always. Naruto stopped in. He and Hinata are getting married."

"Finally!" She shouted. Kakashi looked around to her in surprise. "I knew it would happen soon! It's about time." She pumped her fists in the air and laughed with delight.

"You knew?" He asked. He had been one of the first to know. He didn't think anyone but Hinata's family and Naruto's team knew yet.

"Are you forgetting how I know things, Kakashi?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ah. That's what it was. Her knowledge of this world let her know about Naruto and Hinata. It had been so long he had nearly forgotten about it.

"No. I just didn't know how far into the future you did know."

"Not much farther now. Maybe the end of the year," she said thoughtfully with a distant expression.

"Hmm. It's strange seeing Naruto all grown up. I can still see the knucklehead the first day he was placed on my team." Kakashi laughed to himself as he remembered some of the crazier antics of the village's hero.

"You think that's strange; wait till you hear about Sai," she muttered quietly.

"Sai? What about him?" He asked curiously, his hearing still as good as it always was.

She waved her hand in the air, marking her words as unimportant. "I'm sure we'll hear soon enough. Oh, and we should hear about Sakura and Sasuke, too. Just about the whole rookie nine actually..." She trailed off deep in thought trying to remember all she knew.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" He said with a smirk.

"I'm seeing my favorite show getting acted out in front of my eyes. Of course I'm enjoying it!"

His eyebrows lowered as he thought for a moment.

"If you knew the entire story without your involvement in it, then whatever happened to me without you?" He asked.

She smiled at him knowingly.

"Since the first day I came here I had to hold all of my knowledge of this world as my own secret. But ever since we got married I have been dying for you to ask that question." Kakashi sat forward on the couch listening intently. He couldn't even see his life happening without this beautiful woman by his side. He wondered what would have become of him if he never met her. Many people wondered this very conundrum. 'What would I do without you?', they always asked. But this woman, his wife, really did hold that very answer.

"Are you going to tell me then?" He asked.

"You became Hokage, you fought in the war just like you have already done. As for marriage and children," she smiled at him again, "I suppose you never found the right woman."

His eyes turned soft and he stood to envelope her in a tight embrace. He pulled off his mask and hitate-ate and let his forehead and nose touch hers. They stood innocently, drinking each other in through contact.

"That's because you weren't here. Without you, none of this would mean anything. I would have lived as I always had, a husk of a man only living out of duty and honor. If their was ever a doubt in my mind that you are the one for me, that drowned it out forever. You are everything to me, Emma."

"The same goes for me. I wouldn't really be living if it weren't for you. I love you, Kakashi." They kissed, sweet and slow. They had the rest of their lives and there was no need to burn each other with flaming hot kisses that fizzled out quickly like dry straw. Their kiss warmed their hearts and bodies like sinking into a bath that was just the right temperature. Warm bubbly feelings of contentment and bliss endured longer than the bright blazing fire of new love.

Emma ended the kiss far too early for Kakashi's liking. She left his embrace and stalked to the bathroom and Kakashi knew what the problem was just after she realised it herself.

Ichiro was an explorer. If he could see it, he could get into it. With toddlers the rule of thumb was silence equaled trouble and Ichiro had been completely silent for several minutes. Kakashi sighed balefully and followed his wife to the destruction as she muttered to herself.

"Hatake Ichiro, I swear if you are playing in that toilet again..."

* * *

This is the last and probably my favorite as we see the kids all become ninja. This is the scene that has been drawn up by Rayne Storms Ink that you can see from the links at the beginning of this chapter.

This comes from those that wished for an epilogue 2.0. I couldn't just leave you with the image of tiny children without telling you about who they become when they are older.

* * *

"Congratulations!" Emma shouted as Akito ran to them from the academy doors. She quickly enveloped her youngest into a tight hug. Akito, Emma and Kakashi's third and last child, had just graduated from the academy and received his hitae-ate. "All my babies have become ninja," she whined sadly.

"Mom," Akito whined from his position against his mother's chest, "people are staring." He looked around to his former classmates to see them pointing and laughing at the new ninja that still received hugs from his mother. He blushed.

"Come on, mom. You'll embarrass him in front of his new team." Ichiro's calm voice coaxed their mother to let go. Emma leaned down and planted a loud kiss on his new forehead protector. Akito jumped away from his mother and rubbed his sleeve on the metal to wipe away any marks.

Akito, the youngest of the Hatake siblings, had just graduated from the academy at age 11. He was the only one to have inherited his mother's chocolate brown locks, though she always remarked that he looked almost exactly like his father when he was young. His soft, spiky hair was trimmed short, enough to pass his ears if it laid flat. A lock he couldn't control laid underneath his brand new forehead protector and stuck out over his nose slightly. He was a bright child with the same dark eyes as the other male members of the Hatake clan. Each of Kakashi's children were regarded as geniuses in their own right and each were in the top of their respective classes.

"Hey, congrats, little brother." Ichiro ruffled Akito's hair playfully. He shoved his older brother's hand away with a grin and ran a hand through his hair to tame it again.

Ichiro stood nearly as tall as their father, with barely an inch separating their heights. Though he kept his silver hair shorter than Kakashi and didn't wear his father's trademark mask, he was still mistaken with the copy ninja nearly everywhere he went. His hair even tended to lean to the left just as his father's did and his dark onyx eyes didn't help distinguish one from the other. Ichiro didn't mind the confusion. With his laid back attitude he regularly laughed at the situation. There had been more than once instance where he had been mistaken for the 6th Hokage on a mission and his enemies had fled long before their could realize their mistake.

Since no one knew what the copy ninja's face really looked like, no one knew that Ichiro's facial features were not exactly like his father's. It was only the times Ichiro stood next to his mother that one could see the subtleties he inherited.

Ichiro had made it into anbu a few years ago at the age of 16. The enemies he faced off against learned of his name and heritage as a Hatake through the use of the chidori. He had quickly made a name for himself on his first few missions. He became known as The White Shadow of the Leaf. The story was when you were about to be on the receiving end of the chidori, The White Shadow moved so quickly he was nothing but a blur of white hair. Due to the light given off of the ball of lightning in his hand his figure gave no shadow on the ground. The light from the chidori blinded everything around it in shadow, making the last thing anyone saw was a stark white relief of hair in the darkness. He had earned the fear of his enemies and the respect of his fellow shinobi through his own actions, not just because he was the son of the Copy ninja Hokage and the grandson of the White Fang.

"The easiest part is over now," Kakashi said to their youngest.

Emma smacked Kakashi's arm. "Oh, Kakashi, don't be so negative."

"He's right, ma," Tamiko cut in. "The academy is easy. Now he's got to train every day."

Tamiko had recently become a chunin at the age of 13. Though she was just as talented as her brothers she always felt the need to prove herself. Every day she trained to lessen the gap between Ichiro's skill level and her own, marking the day she beat him as the day she would finally be a great ninja. She wore her hair up in a high ponytail that weaved into a braid down to her lower back. Her bangs remained long and laid in spiky trails down the left side of her face. Her eyes were very much like her mother's. Though the orbs that shined in evergreen crinkled like the rest of the Hatake family when they smiled. She wore her forehead protector around her neck, slipping it to the side collar of her chunin jacket that was zipped halfway up a long sleeve, lilac purple shirt. She wore the same finger-less gloves as her father and older brother as well as the wrappings around her legs.

Tamiko had claimed Ichiro to be her unofficial rival. If he had achieved it, she had to do it too. She wanted to join anbu and make a name for herself just like her father and brother. But she didn't want to simply follow in their footsteps to be like them. She desperately wanted to be known and revered in her own right. She didn't want to be known as the daughter of the Hokage or the sister of the White Shadow. She wanted her own name to be whispered in fear and shouted in a toast of respect. She only saw her rivalry with her older brother as a milestone. Once she was able to beat him then fame could only be just out of her reach.

"So, Akito, what is your dream?" Emma asked.

"My dream?" Akito tilted his head slightly like a curious puppy.

"When you meet your team tomorrow everyone will share their dreams. You should know what you aspire to do so you can share it." Kakashi clarified.

Akito pondered for a few moments when his sister interrupted.

"I'm going to be a master ninjutzu wielder. I'm going to know more jutzu than even da! I'll be so fast at wielding hand signs my enemies won't know what hit them! I'm going to be so famous that everyone is going to know my name and when they see me they will run away after peeing their pants." Tamiko smiled, proud of herself with her dream.

"Well," Ichiro began, "I'm already an anbu captain but I'm not going to settle for a rank below dad's. So, I've got to become Hokage." He clapped his father on the shoulder with good humor. "Better watch out, dad. By the time I'm your age I'll be more famous than you are now."

"I want to be a sensei!" Akito declared.

"A sensei?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, all my classmates say I'm really good at helping with homework. So, I want to teach others."

"That will take quite a lot of work. You'll need to become a jonin if you want to have your own team." Kakashi said.

"That means you can't slack off, Aki." Tamiko said to her little brother. "You have to work really hard like Ichi and I."

"I will! I'll work super hard and be the best sensei ever!" Akito shouted.

"Great," Ichiro smiled. "We can all train together."

Emma glared up at her oldest child. "Hatake Ichiro, if you train in my back yard again I will make you three replace the grass blade by blade."

Ichiro scratched the back of his head sheepishly and smiled nervously at his mother.

"Hey, I just used the water dragon. Ichi was the one that killed the grass with chidori." Tamiko whined attempting to clear the record for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Which means," Emma began patiently, "both of you were responsible for nearly killing your brother the last time you had a fight."

Tamiko 'humph'ed and crossed her arms mumbling that it still wasn't her fault.

"You can train in the training grounds like everyone else." Kakashi stated cheerfully over the sound of his daughter's mumbling. He rested a hand on her head to show his affection and bring her out of her reverie. She groaned and swatted at his hand, running her hands down her neat hair. Kakashi chuckled under his breath at his child.

"Can we go now?" Akito brightened as he spoke to both of his siblings. "I'm a real ninja now and I want to test out my skills."

"Sure, Akito." Ichiro agreed. "But it won't be any different from last week."

"I wasn't a ninja last week, Ichi. I am now." He said eagerly, adjusting his forehead protector for all to see.

"Alright, alright, calm down. We can head over now if you want." Ichiro looked to their father. "You want to come with us, dad?"

"Da's too old and retired." Tamiko cut in before Kakashi could speak. "He can't take on all three of us anymore. He should go home with ma."

Emma laughed softly and shook her head. Kakashi slumped, let down from the lack of faith his own children had in him. Emma patted his arm hoping to lessen his disappointment. His children had never witnessed him in battle nor were they old enough to know the rumors of his skills were more than just exaggerated legends.

"No permanent injuries, you four." Emma said with practiced patience. "And I want you all home for dinner." Emma shook her head again as they walked off. Her children were about to learn the hard way why their father became known for his prowess, versatility and skills. He didn't become the 6th Hokage for nothing. She walked home as they all left for the training fields. She already planned to bring out her extensive first aid kit to patch up her family... again.

* * *

Thank you to all who have showed your support through this journey. Trust Me is officially over.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel for all that enjoy my writing. I have many (possibly way too many in my opinion) stories in the works. At least three of which are Naruto based. I hope to have them up as soon as life permits me time to work on them.

Thank you once again and please let me know what you think.


	27. Chapter 27

I know what you are thinking. I said Trust Me was officially over and here I am putting a new chapter up. The truth is when I got a new review from PurpleElm23723, her lovely words brought me back to this story and my mind took over, demanding this to be written.

* * *

3 years later

Emma had grown quite used to her three children coming and going at all hours of the day and night. What with teams showing up to pick up their respective Hatake teammate or summons for missions, her house was regularly busy.

Though thanks to the skills of her children they were often needed for many missions which left her house regularly empty.

It was something she knew was coming. Even Akito, now 14, had become a chunin and was regularly off with his own missions. And, like any mother, she dearly missed all of her children when they were gone.

She had managed to talk Ichiro out of moving out. He had conceded when he admitted his only reason was he felt he was too old to be living with his parents.

She knew he would eventually move out. One day he would be married but until then she wanted to be there to welcome him and his siblings home, cook them warm meals and, yes, even clean up after them.

It was strange. At one point she would have given anything to get her kids to clean up after themselves. Now she only wished to hold on to her babies for just a bit longer.

Emma always made time to welcome her children with a heartfelt greeting, a warm smile and a hot meal when they arrived home.

She had the unique opportunity to know the comings and goings of her children thanks to being the Hokage's wife. Even after retiring Kakashi was still very much in the know about his children's missions and could give Emma a good guess of their return date.

Today she knew Tamiko would be back roughly by lunch time and Emma had prepared a plate of Tamiko's favorite food to commemorate her second mission as team captain.

Now 16, Tamiko had been promoted to jonin and due to her old sensei's retirement, she had been appointed the official captain of her chunin teammates.

Emma had perched herself on the living room couch with a good book and greeted her daughter just past noon.

"Welcome home," she said, lowering her book slightly.

Tamiko's tired eyes shifted to her mother for only a second, whispering an obligatory, "I'm home," before disappearing upstairs to change.

The routine was familiar. But what worried Emma was the look on her daughter's face. Ninja regularly came home tired but Emma had seen that look before. It was the same one Kakashi had in his teenage years when his team died.

When Tamiko descended the stairs she sat before her warm plate and wolfed down her food, not even tasting it.

"How was the mission?" Emma asked, wiping at the counter to make is seem like she wasn't hovering. Tamiko only shook her head, a sign she either couldn't or wouldn't go into detail. "Did you get hurt?" Emma asked.

This question was a common one for Tamiko. The Hatake boys knew the importance of going the hospital when they were injured. Tamiko, however, inherited her father's general distaste of the place. She shook her head again.

Emma sighed. Dealing with Tamiko in a bad mood could sometimes be like pulling teeth. At least, she was answering this time.

"Tamiko, did something happen?"

The look of defeat on the girl's shoulders intensified and she nodded.

Emma bit back a heavy sigh. She knew Tamiko couldn't discuss the mission with her. Emma could only do so much for her daughter in such a state.

She brushed back Tamiko's wild bangs and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Sweetie, why don't you take a bath?"

"It won't help," came the saddened answer from her daughter.

"No. It's not going to make things alright. But it's not going to make them worse and your body could do with a good soak."

* * *

"I'm home," Kakashi called to his house from the doorway, having returned from lunch with Gai.

"Welcome back, Kakashi," Emma answered. "How is Gai?"

"The same as always. He says hello."

"Kakashi, do you know anything about Tamiko's last mission?"

He did of course. Though Naruto was the current Hokage, he still had access to even the most sensitive information and he regularly checked into his children's missions when they were of a higher rank. She and her team had been sent on an A-class mission, tasked with preventing two groups of rogue nin from joining forces. Thier intel had told them that two representatives from each group would meet at a crossroads in the land of rivers in the hopes of signing a sort of peace treaty. This was worrisome as their goal was to take over a neighboring ninja village for their own profit. Making their primary targets either Konoha or Suna.

"Why do you ask?"

"I think something happened," Emma said with obvious concern.

Emma was known to be terrible at reading people. But there were few things her mother's intuition did not tell her. She almost always knew when something was wrong with her children.

"Do you think she failed the mission?" he asked. Kakashi wouldn't be able to read over the mission details until they were recorded onto an offical scroll. Seeing as Tamiko had only just arrived he doubted it would be ready until a few days passed.

"I don't know about that. It was the way she looked Kakashi," Emma shook her head, having completely abandoned her book. "She looked exactly like you when you lost Obito and Rin."

"You think she lost someone?"

"I think so," she said nodding morosely. "You should talk to her."

Kakashi acknowledged her worry. Of the two of them, he was the one better equipped to handle this situation. As much as Emma could sympathize, she didn't have the ability to truly empathize with the life of a ninja. Seeing it played out as a show would never be the same as living the lifestyle.

* * *

Tamiko grudgingly admitted the bath had helped. Even if it only chased away the worst of her physical fatigue and did nothing for her emotionally. It was still better than before.

She brushed her long wet hair and let it hang down her back. She fluffed her bangs until they weren't plastered to her face and left for her room.

She found her father sitting on her desk chair reading one of his infamous books. She and Ichiro had a competition when they were younger to see if they could find out the contents of the books their mother refused to let them see. Of course, the competition did not count if they took one from their father's shelf while it was unattended. They had dedicated a good six months in trying to pick it off of their old man while he wasn't looking.

Akito had ultimately ruined the competition. His older siblings had let him in on their competition. Though they had neglected to mention that taking one off Kakashi's bookshelf was off limits and cheating. The eldest Hatake siblings found their baby brother with a heavy nosebleed and the pilfered book in one hand.

With a unity that only came from siblings not wishing to get in trouble by their parents, Ichiro had replaced the book on the shelf without a trace and Tamiko had cleaned up the scene of the crime, so to speak.

When all was said and done they had asked Akito what the books contained. With a deep grimace and a shiver, the then-preteen responded with a mysterious 'things' just before receiving another nosebleed.

The three siblings were pretty sure their father had known about the competition to steal his book from his pocket. But they were also pretty sure he didn't know the reason the competition was cut short. Kakashi was only mildly confused about why his youngest shivered at the sight of his father's favorite book series.

Tamiko shook herself out of her memories and sat on her bed facing her father.

It didn't take long for Kakashi to see that Emma was right. Thier daughter lacked her usual confidence and brusque charm. The look on her face did indeed resemble the one he saw so often in the mirror when he was her age.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked.

She took a shuddering breath. "The mission... was to stop two rogue nin groups from forming an alliance, pretty simple. But the information we had wasn't entirely accurate. Rather than two representatives from two groups, the S-class leaders of three groups arrived with one guard each. And I..." She stopped and stared down at her fingers, not able to look her father in the eye. "I-I ordered our advance. We were outnumbered two to one. And I didn't realize it was the leaders until it was too late. And Kaito..." The weight on her shoulders intensified.

Kaito Sorayama was a boy Kakashi was familiar with. He had been placed on Tamiko's three man squad when they became genin. He had the highest test scores since Sakura Haruno had attended the academy. Kakashi had once suspected the boy had Nara blood in his veins despite knowing he came from a clanless civilian family.

"He didn't make it. It's all my fault. I didn't see how the situation changed from our intel."

"I wish I could comfort you with kind words; tell you it's not your fault and everything is okay. But it wouldn't do you any good. You went in without all the information and suffered for it. You made a mistake, Tamiko, and it cost your teammate his life."

Tamiko's head bowed lower and pained grimace crossed her face upon her father's words.

"I know," she whispered. "But what do I do?"

"Was the mission successful?"

"Yeah."

"Well, there is that at least. What you don't do is never forgive yourself, never learn from your mistake and never move on. Time doesn't make the loss any better but that doesn't mean you have to keep beating yourself up over it."

Kakashi pocketed his book and sat forward imploring his daughter to listen and listen well.

"I made a similar mistake and I lost my teammate. I spent my life doing all those things I shouldn't have done. I'm not proud of how I handled it or how I conducted myself. Tamiko," he said calling for her attention. She peeked through her silvery bangs up at her father.

"The greatest thing I can teach you, Tamiko, is not a tactic or a jutzu. It is that in the face of loss the most comforting and insulting thing is that the world keeps turning."

She wasn't quite sure how to react to this wisdom. At the moment, it did feel insulting that the world was not mourning her friend's death. But it did feel a bit comforting to know that the world didn't come to an end that day.

"For now, cry, scream, rage all you want, but know that one day you can't keep feeling like this every day."

"It's only just happened, Da. You're talking like I've been depressed for weeks."

"You and your brothers can be almost too much like me. I thought it would be best to tell you this before it became a problem." He relaxed back into the chair.

"I know I won't be better overnight but I know I'll be better someday. I can't just forget it. It wouldn't be fair to Kaito and I wouldn't learn anything if I did."

Kakashi smiled tenderly and ruffled her drying hair. "That's the spirit. How about we get some ice cream?"

Tamiko snorted derisively. "You're just like Ma, telling me I should eat ice cream and take a bath to feel better. I'm not a kid with a broken toy anymore, Da."

"Well, if you insist," he stood turning to leave, "more for me."

"Well, I mean, if you're already having some..."

"We have rocky road in the freezer."

"Ma's downstairs," she reminded him. "You know she doesn't like it when we spoil our dinner."

"What your mother doesn't know won't hurt us," he said with a mischievous wink. "And really, if a jonin and a hokage can't sneak past a civilian we may as well turn in our headbands."

With a quick and secretive excursion to the kitchen and a jump to the roof of their home, they tore into the ice cream with vigor.

With no one but his daughter around, Kakashi left his mask down around his neck. He had never bothered to hide his face when he was just around his family.

"Da?" Tamiko said. "Why do you wear that mask around most people?" The question had crossed her mind before but she had never bothered to ask before now.

"Convenience," he answered with a smile and a teasing look in his eyes. "I'm so dazzlingly handsome everyone would be trying to steal me away from your mother."

With another lick of her spoon and an eye roll, she said, "No, really?"

Kakashi slumped. What was it about his daughter that she had so little faith in him? Did she really regard him as an old, ugly man that wasn't capable in a fight anymore?

"Tamiko and Kakashi!" Emma stood in the back yard, hands on hips and pouting up at them on the roof. "You know it's a half hour until dinner time and you've gone and eaten already."

"It was her idea," Kakashi pointed to his daughter. "She made me."

Tamiko smacked his hand from the air. "You're blaming your idea on me? Thanks a lot, old man!"

Emma sighed at their antics. "What am I going to do with you two?"

"Give us more ice cream?" Kakashi said hopefully with all the innocence of a starving child.

Tamiko snickered despite herself.

"So you've polished it off?" Emma inquired as she tried to fight a grin. Kakashi only smiled sheepishly and scratched nervously at his temple. "You know, if Ichiro were here, he would have saved me some."

It was true. Ichiro probably would have taken his mother to the roof with two extra spoons so they could join in.

Even if food couldn't make things better it still brought a smile to Tamiko's face and a brief reprieve from her sorrow at her parent's antics.

That night they had desert for dinner.

* * *

Am I done with Trust Me now? The truth is, I don't know. I'm considering two more stories centering around Akito and Ichiro. If you have an idea for their stories send me a PM or write it in a review. All entries will be considered but I don't promise to write it.

Till next time my lovely readers!


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